


The De-Aged Doctor and the Throne of Fire

by Whovian101



Series: The De-Aged Doctor and the Kane Chronicles [2]
Category: Doctor Who, The Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:53:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28958244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whovian101/pseuds/Whovian101
Summary: A teenage Doctor joins Sadie and Carter to help stop the chaos serpent, Apophis, from rising.
Series: The De-Aged Doctor and the Kane Chronicles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952062
Comments: 20
Kudos: 17





	1. Reunions and Betrayals

The Doctor had meant to keep his promise. Really, he had. One week. That’s what he’d told them. Though it wouldn’t have been the first time he’d got the date wrong. Admittedly, he hadn’t even expected to be back so soon, nor had he expected himself to walk out of the TARDIS only to find four teenagers and a baboon all dressed in black burglary attire.

That had been when Sadie’s hand met his cheek.

_“What was that for?”_

“You said a week.”

“And?” He spun around. It was dark out – he’d landed a block away from the Brooklyn Museum. “Couldn’t have been that far off, could I?”

“It’s been _months!”_ It was clear she would’ve been shouting if not concerned about drawing attention to the group.

“Has it?” The Doctor gave a guilty smile, “Kept out of trouble, then?”

“Er – we’re actually about to do something…” Carter piped up, “Don’t get me wrong, Doctor, it’s nice to see you and all, but we’re kind of busy…”

“Museum heist?”

“We’re not _stealing,”_ one of the other two said. “Not really. We’re just sort of…borrowing it for a while.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

“Look, we can definitely use your help since you’re here,” Carter said. “We just need an artifact. We’ll return it eventually. You in?”

The Doctor grinned. “Where do we start?”

Sadie and Carter sent the other two children, their new trainees, Jaz and Walt, in first to open the side window, whilst Khufu, Sadie, Carter, and the Doctor examined the large glass dome in the center of the roof, which was supposed to be their exit strategy.

The Doctor frowned as he looked through the glass. “Your heist doesn’t seem very secret if you’re going to be using this as your escape.”

Down below, hundreds of people in tuxedos and evening gowns mingled and danced in a massive ballroom, accompanied by a soft orchestra. Some of the women milled around in bridesmaid dresses, and one of the tables held a massive tiered white cake. It was a wedding. Two separate mobs of guests had lifted the bride and groom on chairs and were carrying them through the room whilst their friends swirled around them, dancing and clapping.

Sadie pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation. “It was supposed to be closed.”

“Well, it’s not.”

“No shi –”

 _“It’s messy and loud.”_ Khufu decided, tapping on the glass.

“Khufu’s right,” Sadie said, “We’ll have a hard time sneaking out through the party.”

“That’s not what he said –” The Doctor began to correct.

“Carter,” Sadie warned, “If you don’t shut him up, I might just push him off this roof.”

“Point taken.” The Doctor raised his hands in surrender.

Sadie took a deep breath. “Perhaps – perhaps if we pretend we’re a maintenance crew –”

“Sure,” Carter said, “Excuse us. Five kids coming through with a three-ton statue. Just going to float it up through the roof. Don’t mind us.”

Sadie rolled her eyes. “You’re both impossible.” She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the base of the dome. A golden hieroglyph blazed, and the padlock popped open.

“This artifact,” The Doctor said, “Why can’t we just take it out through the side window?”

“It won’t fit,” Carter admitted, “The statue is huge –”

“Statue?”

“Plus, there are traps.”

“Why not try again another night?” The Doctor frowned.

Carter shook his head. “Tomorrow, the whole exhibit is being boxed up and shipped off on tour.”

“And this may not have been a problem if someone had given us more _notice_ that we needed to steal this statue –” Sadie said.

“Forget it.” Carter sighed. “I only knew last night that we needed it.”

“Let’s just stick to the plan,” Sadie huffed. “Go in through the side window, find the statue, and float it out through the ballroom. We’ll figure out how to deal with the wedding party when we get that far.”

As it turned out the doors and the windows had some particularly nasty curses on them. Neither Sadie, Carter, nor the Doctor’s Sonic managed to get through it. Sadie couldn’t even open a portal into the exhibit.

“So we’ll just have to do this the hard way,” Sadie sighed. “How do we get in?”

“I’ve scanned all the entrances and the only one that’s not trapped is the dome, here.” The Doctor reported.

Carter shrugged. “I can’t imagine they expect a lot of thieves dropping from forty feet in the air.”

“So we push on and improvise?” Sadie asked, looking warily down at the wedding party.

The Doctor gave a mad grin. “Don’t we always?”

Sadie rolled her eyes. “Khufu, you stay here and keep watch. Open the dome when you see us coming up, yeah?”

Khufu gave a “Agh!” of affirmation and the Doctor nodded at Sadie and Carter. “Come on, then. Let’s see how the others are doing.”

They dropped to the ledge outside the third floor, which housed the Egyptian collection. Jaz and Walt had duct-taped four Sons of Horus Statues around the edges of the window and painted hieroglyphs on the glass to counteract the curses, the Doctor having already disabled the mortal alarm system.

As the Doctor, Sadie, and Carter landed next to them, they seemed to be in the midst of a serious conversation. Jaz was holding Walt’s hands, which seemed to surprise Sadie enough for her to make a sort of surprised squeak.

“We’ll figure it out,” Jaz was telling Walt, who was looking quite embarrassed.

The moment they interrupted their conversation, Walt let go of Jaz’s hands and stepped away. Sadie’s eyes moved back and forth between them, trying to figure out what was going on.

Walt cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Window’s ready.”

“Brilliant.” Sadie said, looking at Jaz. “What did you mean, ‘We’ll figure it out’?”

Jaz opened and closed her mouth nervously, as if not quite sure what to say.

Walt answered for her: “You know. The Book of Ra. We’ll figure it out.”

“Yes!” Jaz said a bit too quickly. “The Book of Ra.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Carter, who smirked and indicated towards Sadie and Walt, then made a kissy face.

He mouthed, _‘Oh.’_ and said, “Right, let’s head in then.” before Sadie could demand a better explanation. 

The window swung open easily. No magic explosion. No alarms. There was an air of relief as they stepped into the Egyptian wing. Who knows, maybe they could pull this off without a hitch. Ha!

In the second Egyptian room they entered, they stopped before a massive stone frieze. Chiseled into the rock was an image of a creature trembling some humans. It had massive bristly wings that ran horizontally across the top of its back. The frieze had once been painted, but now only red and gold flecks could be visible on the creature’s hide.

“Is that a griffin?” Jaz asked.

“It’s actually called a Shirdal,” The Doctor corrected, “Which roughly translates to ‘Lion-Eagle.’ It’s most commonly known from the cosmetic palette from Hierakonpolis, which is known as the Two Dog Palette, but it’s appeared in ancient Iranian art nearly a millennia earlier.”

Jaz nodded. “Nice to see you’ve brought your own dictionary.”

“Griffins were protectors,” Carter remembered, “they guarded treasures and stuff.”

“Fab,” Sadie said, “So you mean they attacked…I dunno, _thieves_ for instance, breaking into museums and stealing artifacts?”

The Doctor grinned, “Precisely! If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll get attacked by one!”

Sadie balked, “That would be _lucky?”_

“Well, no,” The Doctor admitted, “But I’d love to meet one. And who knows, maybe this one will be friendly!”

Carter sighed in exasperation, but there was a hint of amusement in it. “Let’s just try not to get eaten by a griffin today.”

They made a wide arc around the griffin and walked over to a statue in the center of the room. The god stood about eight feet tall and was carved from black stone. He was dressed in the typical Egyptian style: bare-chested, with a kilt and sandals. He had the face of a ram and horns that had partially broken over the centuries. On his head was a Frisbee-shaped crown – a sun disk, braided with serpents. In front of him stood a much smaller human figure. The god was holding his hands over the smaller figure’s head, as though giving him a blessing.

The Doctor examined the statue, “If I’d have a guess, I’d say this is –”

“KNM,” Sadie read the hieroglyphic inscription. “That’d be pronounced _Khnum,_ I suppose. Rhymes with _ka-boom?”_

The Doctor looked somewhat affronted.

“Sorry,” Sadie said.

The Doctor grinned. _“Never_ apologize for being brilliant, Sadie!” He spun around in excitement. “Khnum is the god of the evening – well, technically he’s another aspect of Ra. But he was also thought to be god of fertility. It really depends what you read –”

“I don’t know,” Sadie said, frowning up at the god’s ram head. “Looks a bit like that old cartoon…Bullwinkle, is it? Could be the moose god.”

“He’s not a moose god,” Carter sighed.

“Who’s the little guy in front?” Walt asked. “A child?”

“Nope,” The Doctor said, “Khnum was thought to have made you silly apes on his potter’s wheel. That’s likely what he’s doing here – forming a human from clay.”

Jaz raised an eyebrow. “Silly apes?”

Carter frowned. “Wait, how does evolution work if Khnum made us?”

“Well, he did. And so did Prometheus. And Nüwa. Mythology doesn’t discredit science. Everything happened. Belief is a very powerful thing, see.”

“No.” Sadie said. “I don’t.”

“Wait, you’re alien, right?” Jaz asked.

“Yeah?”

“Then what are you evolved from?”

“You wouldn’t even begin to comprehend it,” The Doctor decided. “My species are _very_ complicated.”

“I mean, you’re mostly human, aren’t you?” Sadie asked.

“Don’t insult me.”

“But like, I’ve been thinking about this for a while,” Jaz said, “If you guys can travel through time, why can’t you just go back to before your place was wrecked."

 _“What?”_ The Doctor’s playful demeanor had all but disappeared, replaced with a colder one that could only be described as…well, alien.

“Doctor?” Sadie said nervously. 

He looked at her coldly. “That was not your information to share.”

“But…I didn’t mean…I just thought…”

“I’m busy. Let’s get this over with.” The Doctor decided, not returning his gaze towards Sadie or Carter, instead walking around the statue as if searching for more information.

“Doctor,” Sadie caught up with him, “I didn’t mean to, I swear. I just –”

“I understand, Sadie.”

“What?” Sadie looked shocked. “You do?”

“Of course,” The Doctor said, though his bitter tone didn’t disappear. “You’re only children, after all.”

He didn’t dare look at the hurt in the girl’s eyes.

“But if we’re looking for the Book of Ra,” Jaz said, clearly trying to part the tension in the room. “And Ra’s the _sun_ god, then why are we searching this moose-looking dude?”

“Khnum was one aspect of Ra,” Carter said, his eyes cautiously flicking towards the Doctor. “Ra had three different personalities. He was known as Khepri the scarab god in the morning; Ra during the day; and Khnum, the ram-headed god, at sunset, when he went into the underworld.”

“I think Sadie’s right,” Walt decided. “It’s a moose.”

Sadie smiled softly. _“Thank you.”_

Walt gave her a grudging smile.

“Okay, enough with the moose.” Carter said. “We’ve got to get this statue back to Brooklyn House. It holds some sort of clue –”

“But how do we find it?” Walt asked. “And you still haven’t told us why we need this Book of Ra so badly.”

Carter hesitated. “I’ll explain when we get back. Right now, let’s figure out how to move the statue.”

Jaz knitted her eyebrows. “I don’t think it’s going to fit in my bag.”

“We can cast a levitation spell on the statue,” Sadie suggested. “We create some big diversion to clear the ballroom –”

“Wait.” The Doctor said, finally taking his eyes off the statue and addressing the room. ”See that amulet the boy’s wearing? It’s a scarab.”

“It’s a common symbol…” Carter said.

“No, I think the Doctor’s right,” Walt said, “The scarab is a symbol of Ra’s rebirth, right? And if this statue shows Khnum creating new life –”

“We don’t need the whole statue.” The Doctor said. “The clue’s the amulet.”

“Brilliant!” Sadie said, pulling out her wand.

“Sadie –” Carter tried, but the girl was already tapping the boy’s amulet. Khnum’s hands glowed. The smaller statue’s head peeled open in four sections, and sticking out from his neck was a yellowed papyrus scroll.

 _“Voilá!”_ She said proudly, looking towards the Doctor for praise. When she got nothing, she simply slipped her wand into her bag and grabbed the scroll.

“Wait!” The Doctor launched himself at the scroll, though was just a moment too late.

Sadie yelped as the scroll in her hand burst into flames. They didn’t seem to consume the papyrus nor hurt Sadie any, but when she tried to shake out the fire, ghostly white flames leapt to the nearest display case and raced around the room as if following an invisible trail. The fire touched the windows and white hieroglyphs ignited on the glass, likely triggering thousands of protective wards and curses. Then the ghost fire rippled across the large frieze at the entrance of the room. The stone slab shook violently. There was the sound of a raspy scream – like a very large angry bird.

Walt slipped his staff onto his back. Sadie waved the flaming scroll as if it were stuck to her hand. “Get this thing off me! This is _so_ not my fault!”

“Um…” Jaz pulled out her wand. “What was that sound?”

“I think we just found our diversion.” The Doctor admitted.


	2. What Can I Say? Sometimes You Accidentally Set a City On Fire

The griffin was nearly twice the size of an ordinary lion, his reddish-golden fur coated with limestone dust. His tail was studded with spiked feathers that looked hard and sharp as daggers. With a single flick, he pulverized the stone slab he had come from. His bristley wings were now sticking directly up on his back. When he moved, they fluttered so quickly they blurred and buzzed like that of a hummingbird.

He fixed his hungry eyes on Sadie and the white flames that still engulfed her hand and the scroll. The griffin seemed to take that as some kind of challenge. He opened his beak and let out an ear-piercing screech.

“Sadie,” The Doctor said slowly, “Sadie, can you drop the scroll?”

“It’s stuck to my hand!” She cried. “And I’m on fire! Did I mention that?”

Patches of white fire were now burning across all the windows and artifacts now. The scroll seemed to have triggered every reservoir of Egyptain magic in the room. Walt and Jaz were standing, frozen in shock. This seemed to be their first proper monster.

The griffin took a step towards Sadie.

The Doctor slowly and clearly stepped in front of her. 

“Hello,” He said cautiously, “I’m the Doctor, can you tell me your name?”

“Oh no, he’s crazy.” Jaz moaned.

The griffin looked somewhat surprised.  _ “No.” _

“No?” The Doctor frowned. “What, you don’t have one?”

_ “No.” _

“Walt,” Sadie murmured across the room, “Check those windows. See if you can open them.”

“B-but they’re cursed.”

“Yes,” Sadie said. “And if we try to exit through the ballroom, the griffin will eat us before we get there. The Doctor can only hold it off for so long.”

“Okay,” The Doctor continued to the griffin, “Would you like a name? I could give you one. We can be friends –”

“H-hold on,” Jaz cried, “Those are symbols of Sekhmet. Walt, stop!”

A number of things happened at once. Walt opened the window, and a wave of white fire roared over him, knocking him to the floor. Jaz rushed to his side. The griffin’s eyes immediately flashed over to his only moving target – Jaz – and lunged at her.

“No!” The Doctor cried, but instead of snapping at Jaz or Walt, the griffin soared straight over Walt and Jaz and slammed into the window. Jaz pulled Walt out of the way. He was flat on his back, shivering. His eyes were lowing white as if the fire had somehow gotten inside him. Jaz was desperately whispering a healing spell as they moved.

The griffin was going mad, thrashing and biting at the white flames. He was trying to attack the fire. He was trying to help. He snapped at the air, spinning and knocking over a display case of shabti. His tail smashed the sarcophagus to pieces.

“Stop, it’s okay, please just stop!” The Doctor pleaded, but the griffin ignored him, continuing his rampage.

“Stop it!” Carter suddenly shouted.

The griffin froze, turning towards Carter and cawing in irritation. The curtain of white fire raced way and burned in the corner of the room, almost like it was regrouping. In fact, other fires were coming together, forming burning shapes that looked almost human. One looked directly at Carter.

“Carter, keep its attention,” Sadie said, her eyes fixed on the griffin as she pulled a length of magic twine from her pocket. “If you can just get close enough –”

“Sadie, no!” The Doctor cried, just as Carter shouted, “Wait!”

Sadie threw her twine and it whipped through the air, elongating into a rope as it raced towards the griffin.

The griffin squawked indignantly and leapt after the fiery shapes that were forming. There were seven of them…growing brighter and more solid by the second. They were slowly forming arms and legs…What had they released? Something told the Doctor that the griffin was the least of their worries.

The griffin buzzed around the room, his wings humming. Display cases shattered, mortal alarms blared. Carter yelled at the griffin to stop, but this time it did no good.

Front the corner of his eye, the Doctor could see Jaz collapse, perhaps from the strain of her healing spell.

“Sadie!” The Doctor snapped, “Help her!”

Sadie knew better than to argue, hurrying to Jaz’s side whilst the Doctor and Carter went after the griffin.

It was then that a dozen party guests came around the corner to see what the noise was about. Their mouths fell open. A woman in a peach-coloured dress screamed.

The seven white fire creatures shot straight through the wedding guests, who instantly collapsed. The fires kept going, whipping around the corner towards the ballroom. The griffin flew after them.

The Doctor sent Carter after him, as the Doctor paused and looked at Sadie, “How are they?”

“Walt is coming around,” Sadie said, kneeling over her two trainees, “But Jaz is out cold.”

“We’ll get control of the griffin,” The Doctor decided. “You follow when you can.”

“Are you  _ mad?” _

“Just because you don’t understand him, doesn’t mean he’s a monster, Sadie.” The Doctor growled. He sprinted towards the wedding party.

The main ballroom was in chaos. Guests were running everywhere, screaming and knocking over tables. A man in a tuxedo had fallen into the wedding cake and was attempting to crawl away. A musician was trying to run with a snare drum on his foot.

The white fires had solidified enough that the Doctor could now make out their form – somewhere between canine and human, with elongated arms and crooked legs. They glowed brightly as they raced through the ballroom, circling the pillars that surrounded the dance floor. One passed straight through a bridesmaid. The woman’s eyes turned milky white, and she crumpled to the floor, shivering and coughing.

Carter was standing in the center of the ballroom, looking like he was at a total loss.

Suddenly, the griffin swooped down, followed closely by Sadie’s magic rope, which was still trying to bind it. The griffin snapped up one of the fire creatures in a single gulp and continued to fly. Wisps of smoke came out of his nostrils, but otherwise, eating the white fire didn’t seem to bother him.

“We need to calm him down,” The Doctor said. “He can help us, but he’s panicking.”

“Hey!” Carter yelled, trying to catch his attention.

The griffin turned towards him, but it slowed him down for just enough time for Sadie’s magic rope to wrap around his back legs.

_ “SQUAWWWK!”  _ The griffin crashed into a buffet table. The rope grew longer, winding around the creature’s body whilst his high-speed wings shredded the table, the floor, and the plates of sandwiches.

Wedding guests began clearing the ballroom. Most ran for the lifts, but dozens were unconscious or shaking in fits, their eyes glowing white. Others were stuck under piles of debris. Alarms were blaring, and the white fires – six of them now – were still completely out of control.

The Doctor ran towards the griffin, who was rolling around, trying in vain to bite at the rope.

“I’m trying to help you,” The Doctor insisted, “Please, you’ve got to calm down –”

_ “FREEEEK!”  _ The griffin’s tail swept over the Time Lord’s head and just missed decapitating him.

Carter reached his side, and after a moment of pure panic, the boy pointed his sword at the griffin and said:  _ “Ha-tep.” _

A green hieroglyph – the symbol for  _ Be at peace –  _ burned in the air, right at the tip of his blade.

The griffin stopped thrashing. The buzzing of his wings slowed. Chaos and screaming still filled the ballroom, Carter still managed to stay calm as he approached.

“You recognize me, don’t you?” He held out his hand, and another symbol blazed above his palm – the Eye of Horus.

The Doctor grinned, “He’s the sacred animal of Horus.”

“That true?” Carter asked the griffin, “That’s why you obey me, isn’t it?”

The griffin blinked at the god’s mark. He ruffled his neck feathers and squawked and squirmed as Sadie’s rope slowly wrapped around his body.  _ “Let me out! Make it stop!” _

“It’s okay,” The Doctor said softly. “We’ll get you out.”

Somewhere behind them, Sadie yelled, “Carter! Doctor!”

The Doctor turned to see Sadie and Walt stumbling towards the Doctor and Carter, half-carrying Jaz between them. Sadie was still holding the flaming scroll in one hand. Walt was on his feet and his eyes weren’t glowing anymore, but Jaz was now slumped over on his shoulder.

They dodged a fiery spirit and a few wedding guests and somehow made it across the ballroom.

Walt stared at the griffin. “How’d you calm it down?”

“Because he’s one of the nice ones,” The Doctor smiled, “See, he’s just scared since  _ someone  _ tied him up.”

“I’m sorry –” Sadie tried, but the Doctor waved her away. “Griffins are also the sacred animals of Horus. They used to pull his chariot in battle.”

“I think it recognized my connection to him.” Carter said.

“He.” The Doctor corrected.

“What?”

“Not ‘it’ – He.”

“O-okay.”

The griffin shrieked impatiently and thrashed his tail, knocking over a stone column.

“Not very calm,” Sadie noticed. She glanced up at the glass dome, twelve meters above, where the tiny figure of Khufu was waving at them frantically.

“Right,” The Doctor said, “We need to get Jaz out of here.”

“I’m fine,” Jaz muttered.

“No, you’re not,” Walt said, turning to address the Doctor and Carter, “She got that spirit out of me, but it almost killed her. It’s some kind of sickness demon –”

“A  _ bau _ ,” Carter recognized. “An evil spirit. These seven are called –”

“The Arrows of Sekhmet,” Jaz said. “They’re plague spirits, born from the goddess. I can’t stop them.”

“You can  _ rest _ ,” Sadie said.

“Sadie, you need to get this rope off the griffin –” The Doctor said.

“There’s no time,” Jaz pointed out. The  _ bau  _ were getting larger and brighter. More wedding guests were falling as the spirits whipped around the room unchallenged.

“They’ll die if I don't stop the  _ bau, _ ” Jaz said. “I can channel the power of Sekhmet and force them back to the Duat. It’s what I’ve been training for.

The Doctor hesitated. He’d seen what getting a  _ bau  _ out of just  _ one  _ person had taken from her…But he couldn’t let more people die. 

Outside, police sirens were getting louder.

Jaz didn’t wait for permission. “We’ve got no choice.” She insisted, pulling out her wand and then – much to Sadie’s shock – gave Walt a kiss on the cheek. “It’ll be okay, Walt. Don’t give up.”

Jaz removed something else from her magician’s bag – a wax figurine – and pressed it into Sadie’s free hand. “You’ll need this soon, Sadie. I’m sorry I can’t help you more. You’ll know what to do when the time comes.”

She then ran to the center of the ballroom and touched her wand to the floor, drawing a circle of protection around her feet. From hre bag, she produced a small statue of Sekhmet, her patron goddess, and held it aloft.

She began to chant. Red light glowed around her. Tendrils of energy spread out from the circle, filling the room like the tree roots. The tendrils began to swirl, slowly at first, then picking up speed until the magic current tugged at the  _ bau,  _ forcing them to fly in the same direction, drawing them towards the center. The spirits howled, trying to fight the spell. Jaz staggered, but she kept chanting, her face beaded with sweat.

“We’ve got to help her,” The Doctor insisted.

_ “HEEEEELP ME!”  _ the griffin cried.  _ “Let me out!” _

The sirens were right outside the building now. Down the hall near the lifts, someone was shouting into a megaphone, ordering the last wave of wedding guests to exit the building. 

“Sadie.” The Doctor said firmly, “Dispel the rope on the griffin.”

Sadie nodded.

An idea sparked in Carter’s eye, “Walt, you still got your boat amulet?”

“My –? Yeah.” Walt said. “But there’s no water.”

“Just summon the boat!”

Carter dug through his own pockets and pulled out his magic twine. He spoke a charm and he was suddenly holding a rope about six meters long. He made a loose slipknot in the middle, and carefully approached the griffin.

“I’m just going to put this around your neck,” He said. “Don’t freak.”

_ “FREEEEK!”  _ The griffin cried in panic.

“It’s okay,” The Doctor said softly, “Stay calm, it’s okay.”

Carter stepped closer and managed to loop the rope around the griffin’s neck.

As he finished, Carter suddenly looked incredibly disoriented. A wave of Time energy washed over the Doctor. Something had happened.

Carter looked around wildly, his eyes landing on the Doctor. “Did you – did you just see –?”

“No,” The Doctor frowned, “What did you see?”

He hesitated. “I’ll tell you later.”

Sadie was swatting at  _ bau _ with her flaming scroll whenever they got close. Walt set his boat amulet on the ground and spoke the command word. In a matter of seconds, the amulet grew into a full-sized Egyptian reed boat, lying across the ruins of the buffet table.

Carter’s hands shook as he took the two ends of the rope and tied one to the end of the boat’s prow, and the other to the stern.

“Look!” Sadie called.

The Doctor spun around in time to see a flash of blinding red light. The entire vortex collapsed inwards, sucking the six  _ bau  _ into Jaz’s circle. The light died, and Jaz fainted, her wand and the Sekhmet statue both crumbling to dust in her hands.

The Doctor sprinted over to her. Her clothes were steaming. She was breathing, but it was shallow.

The Doctor scooped her up in his arms and hurried her to the boat.

“We have to get out of here,” He insisted.

From far above, Khufu had opened the dome. He was gesturing urgently as searchlights swept the sky above him. The museum was likely surrounded by emergency vehicles.

Around the ballroom, afflicted guests were starting to regain consciousness. Jaz had saved them.

“Hold on tight,” Carter warned. “This thing is  _ not  _ balanced. If it flips –”

“Hey!” A deep male voice yelled behind them. “What are you – Hey! Stop!”

“Sadie, rope, now!” The Doctor called.

Sadie snapped her fingers, and the rope entangling the griffin dissolved.

“GO!” Carter shouted. “UP!’

_ “FREEEEK!”  _ The griffin shouted in sort of a battle-cry. They lurched into the air, the boat rocking violently, and shot straight for the open dome. The griffin barely seemed to notice the extra weight, ascending so fast that Khufu had to make a flying leap to get on board. Sadie pulled him onto the boat, and they held on desperately, trying not to capsize.

_ “Too fast!”  _ Khufu complained.

“Yeah,” Carter sighed. “So much for an easy job.”

The Doctor directed the griffin on the right way to go. He screamed in triumph and soared into the cold rainy night. As they flew towards the Brooklyn Mansion. As they flew, Sadie’s scroll burned brighter, and when he looked down, the Doctor could see ghostly white fires were blazing across every rooftop in Brooklyn.

Oops.


	3. Conversations and Weird Dreams

They landed on the roof of the Brooklyn House. They could see all of Brooklyn aflame. And though nothing was actually burning, and the flames weren’t actually hot, it had still caused quite a panic – Sirens wailed; people filled the streets, gawking up at the blazing rooftops; helicopters circled with searchlights.

Sadie appeared unharmed, if mildly irritated. Carter began trying to untie the fishing boat from around the griffin’s neck. Jaz was a real cause for concern. She was still breathing, but appeared to be in a sort of coma. When the Doctor had opened her eyes, they’d been glowing white – admittedly, that didn’t seem like a good sign.

During the boat ride, Khufu had attempted some magic on her – patted her forehead, saying a number of bizarre frazes, and trying to insert jelly beans into her mouth. It didn’t seem to work.

The Doctor assisted Walt in placing her on the stretcher and watched as the boy fetched blankets and stroked her hair. From the corner of his eye. He could see Sadie, watching. She didn’t appear pleased at the amount of affection Watler was showing.

The Doctor made his way over to Sadie. She had the small wax figurine Jaz had given her in her hand.

“You all right?”

Sadie jumped and quickly stowed the figure away.

“Fine.” She said quickly, “Just…” She waved her flaming hand about helplessly.

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully, before pulling out the sonic, and began walking around her as it buzzed in the air.

“What are you doing?” Sadie sighed.

“Trying to separate the frequencies –”

Suddenly, the fire sputtered out.

“Oh,” Sadie said, glancing up at him, “Thanks.”

“I didn’t –”

“You’re  _ very  _ welcome,” The cat goddess, Bast, made her way over to them, “We can’t have the power of Ra lighting up the city, can we?”

The Doctor glanced out across the borough to see that the fires were now gone. The Brooklyn skyline was now back to normal, save for a number of emergency lights and crowds of screaming mortals in the streets.

“The power of Ra?” The Doctor asked, “I thought we were just looking for a clue. Is this the Book?”

Bast’s ponytail puffed up nervously.

“The scroll is…part of the book,” She said. “And I  _ did  _ warn you, Sadie. Ra’s power is almost impossible to control. If you insist on trying to wake him, the next fires you set off might not be so harmless.”

“But isn’t he your pharaoh?” Sadie wondered. “Don’t you want him awakened?”

Bast’s haze dropped to the floor. Ah it was an interesting relationship Bast had with Ra – he was her lord and master for eons before choosing her as his champion and sending her to fight Apophis for eternity.

“It’s best we talk in the morning,” Bast said. “You need rest, and that scroll should only be opened in the daylight, when the power of Ra is easier to control.”

Sadie nodded into her lap to where the papyrus was still steaming. “Easier to control…as in, it won’t set me on fire?”

“It’s safe to touch now,” Bast promised. “After being trapped in darkness for a few millennia, it was just very sensitive, reacting to any sort of energy – magical, electrical, emotional. I’ve, ah, dialed down the sensitivity so it won’t burst into flames again.”

Sadie took the scroll and the Doctor helped her to her feet. “Get some sleep, Sadie. I’ll let Carter know you’re all right.”

“Besides,” Bast added, bouncing on her heels, “You’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

The Doctor glanced at Bast in confusion.

The goddess mouthed,  _ ‘Birthday.’ _

The Doctor made a large  _ ‘O’  _ with his mouth and nodded.

“Right,” Sadie grumbled, “One person remembers and it’s my cat.”

She glanced over to her brother who was still attempting to control the griffin, who had his shoelaces in his beak and didn’t seem all that inclined to let it go. Then over to a large number teenagers – likely more trainees – were attempting to wake Jaz. Walt hadn’t left her side.

“Maybe you’re right,” Sadie grumbled. “I’m not needed here.”

She sulked off to her room.

The Doctor gestured for Bast to have a seat. She reluctantly accepted.

“How are  _ you  _ doing?”

She smiled, “How do you think?”

The Doctor examined her for a moment, then determined, “I think you’re conflicted.” When Bast didn’t respond, he went on. “Ra was both your father and your imprisoner. You spent many years loving him and hating him. Now that he’s gone, you’re not sure what to feel.”

Bast looked at him thoughtfully.

Finally, she said, “I think you should go find Sadie.”

The Doctor quirked his head questioningly.

“I think she needs a friend right now.”

The Doctor looked at her for a long moment, before nodding.

Sadie was laying face-down on her bed. She had been playing music so loud that she didn’t notice the Doctor walk in – or perhaps she did and wasn’t willing to address it.

The bed dipped as the Time Lord sat down next to her. They sat there in silence for a few minutes before Sadie finally flicked off the music and spoke.

“I don’t know if I want to go visit Gran and Gramps.”

“Why do you say that?” The Doctor asked. It had been the first time in months she’d be able to see them. And from what he’d heard, she’d also made plans with some of her mates.

“I don’t know. I guess I feel like going back to see them makes everything feel so real…I mean, I still can’t believe that this is my life now. And now with Carter’s whole five days to save the world thing…I don’t feel like I  _ should _ go.”

The Doctor looked at her thoughtfully. “The world’s always ending, Sadie. Don’t waste your chance to see your mates.”

She smiled. “Yeah.” But it slowly faded and she looked up at him. “What if we can’t save it this time?”

“We will.”

“But what if we can’t?”

“I don’t know.”

Sadie sighed and pressed her face back into her pillow.

“It’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair?”

Sadie blushed and averted her head. She sat up, scooting backwards so that her back rested against the headboard.

“It just…I think Walt’s got a thing for Jaz.”

The Doctor frowned, and Sadie tried to elaborate.

“I just – I thought by liking Walt I’d get over my thing for Anubis –”

“Anubis?” The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

Sadie’s cheeks reddened and she hit the Doctor with her pillow, but she was smiling.

“Sorry, sorry.” The Doctor grinned.

“I know it’s stupid,” She admitted. “And I knew I needed to get over it. But if Walt has a thing for Jaz, then what’s it mean for me?”

The Doctor smiled at her, “It means that you’re going to meet someone else who sees you for the absolutely brilliant girl that you are.”

Sadie nodded silently, though there was a sadness in her smile.

“Thanks for checking in on me.” She finally said.

“I thought you needed a friendly face.”

“And for what it’s worth I really am sorry for telling Walt and Jaz – I swear none of the other trainees know.”

The Doctor nodded. “I appreciate that, Sadie.”

“Do you…” She hesitated. “Do you forgive me?”

The Doctor was quiet for a long moment. “You should get some sleep, Sadie. It’s been a long day.”

He stood up and began walking towards the door.

“Wait!”

He stopped in his tracks and turned around.

Sadie looked guiltily down at her white sheets. “I’ve – I’ve been having a lot of nightmares lately and…”

The Doctor smiled softly at her. “Of course, Sadie.”

Relief washed her features as she settled into bed, the Doctor laying beside her atop the blankets.

She smirked at him. “Not even going to take off your trainers?”

“Why would I?” The Doctor asked. “Never know when you’ve got to go on a surprise run.”

“Only  _ you  _ would call being attacked by monsters in the middle of the night a ‘surprise run.’”

It was not a nightmare Sadie had that evening, but instead a ba trip. The Doctor followed her ba as she launched in the form of a massive bird out the open balcony door. A magical breeze swept them into the night. The lights of New York blurred and faded, and soon they were in a familiar underground chamber: the Hall of Ages, in the First Nome of the House of Life.

_ “Est-il allé?” _

At the end of the room, on just the step below the massive throne, sat Desjardins. His thick black hair and forked beard were now streaked with gray and he leaned wearily on his staff. His face was gaunt, but his eyes still glittered with a sort of cruelness. He studied the blood-red images in the curtains of light as if waiting for something.

The Doctor glanced at Sadie and whispered, “He wants to know if ‘he’ is gone.”

Sadie shot him a glance that said,  _ I know. _

“Yes, my lord.” A man stepped out from the shadows dressed in white – white suit, white scarf, white reflective sunglasses.

Sadie snorted and whispered, “He looks like an evil ice cream vendor.”

He had a chubby face framed in curly gray hair. It even looked pleasant – friendly. But as he took off his glasses, he revealed two ruined eyes.

His eyelids were masses of scar tissue that didn’t look as if it had closed properly. They looked as though they’d been splashed with acid, then clawed out. His eyebrows had burned away and been raked with deep grooves. The skin above his cheekbones was a mask of red welts, and the eyes themselves were a horrible combination of blood red and milky white.

He inhaled, wheezing badly. Glittering against his shirt was a silver pendant with a snake-shaped amulet.

“He used the portal moments ago, my lord,” The man rasped. “Finally, he has gone.”

His voice was grating and deep, as if it had been severely damaged or corroded. Yet he kept smiling, looking calm and happy.

He approached Desjardins, who was still staring at the curtains of light. The man in white followed his gaze. They were staring at the last pillar, just next to the throne. The light would change colour to reflect the different eras, from the white glow of the Age of gods, to the crimson light of the current moment. Or, to what was the current moment. The Doctor saw exactly what they were looking at: At the last pillar, the reddish tint of the modern age was darkening into an ominous deep purple.

On their first visit, they’d been told that the hall grew longer as the years passed. Now, the Doctor could see that happening. The floor and walls rippled like a mirage and expanded, ever so slowly, so that the sliver of purple light widened.

“Ah,” The man in white said, “It’s much clearer now.”

“A new age,” Desjardins murmured. “A darker age. The colour of the light has not changed for a thousand years, Vladimir.”

“It’s the Kanes, of course,” Vladimir said. “You should’ve killed the elder one while he was in our power.”

The Doctor and Sadie exchanged a look. He was talking about Amos.

“No,” Desjardins said, “He was under our protection. All who seek healing must be given sanctuary – even Kane.”

Vladimir took a deep breath. “But surely now that he has left, we must act. You heard the news from Brooklyn, my lord. The children have found the first scroll. If they find the other two –”

“I know, Vladimir.”

“They humiliated the House of Life in Arizona. They made peace with Set rather than destroy him. And now they seek the Book of Ra. If you would allow me to deal with them –”

The top of Dejardins’ saff erupted in purple fire. “Who is Chief Lector?” He demanded.

Vladimir’s pleasant expression faltered. “You are, my lord.”

“And I will deal with the Kanes in due time, but Apophis is our greatest threat. We must divert all our power to keeping down the Serpent. If there is any chance the Kanes can help us restore order –”

“But, Chief Lector,” Vladimir interrupted. His voice had a new intensity – an almost magical force to it. “The Kanes are part of the problem. They have upset the balance of Ma’at by awakening the gods. They are teaching forbidden magic. Now they would restore Ra, who has not ruled since the beginning of Egypt! They would throw the world into disarray. This will only help Chaos.”

Desjardins blinked, as if confused. “Perhaps you’re right. I…I must think on this.”

Vladimir bowed. “As you wish, my lord. I will gather our forces to await your orders to destroy Brooklyn House.”

“Destroy…” Desjardins frowned. “Yes, you will await my orders. I will choose the time to attack, Vladimir.”

“Very good, my lord. And if the Kane children seek the other two scrolls to awaken Ra? One is beyond their reach, of course, but the other –”

“I will leave that to you. Guard it as you think best.”

Vladimir’s eyes shimmered with excitement. “My lord is wise,” he said, “The children  _ will  _ seek the scrolls, my lord. They have no choice. If they leave their stronghold and come into my territory –”

“Didn’t I just say we will dispose of them?” Desjardins said flatly. “Now, leave me. I must think.”  
Vladimir retreated into the shadows.

Desjardins returned his attention to the shimmering curtain of light. “A new age…” He mused. “An age of darkness…”

The image faded.

The Doctor swirled back to consciousness only to find grey morning light filling the windows. And at the foot of Sadie’s bed was –  
“Uncle Amos?” Sadie stammered.

He smiled. “Happy birthday, my dear. I’m sorry if I scared you. You didn’t answer your door.” He looked at the Doctor, “Making dreams or whatever you do?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

Sadie was staring at her uncle, stunned. “How –”

“It’s all right,” Amos said. “I’ve just returned from Egypt.”

Sadie tried to swallow, breathing deeply. “So have we, Amos. And it’s  _ not  _ all right. They’re coming to destroy us.”


	4. A Rather Tense Breakfast

Amos was looking rather shaken as they sat down for breakfast, having just heard Sadie’s vision. Yet he had insisted they wait to discuss matters until the entire Twenty-first Nome (as the Brooklyn branch of the House of Life was called) to discuss it.

So there they sat, twenty young magicians and two old men out on the veranda for breakfast. The Doctor had to admit, the place felt a bit more home-y with so many residents – an assortment of remote controls, wands, iPads, snack food wrappers, and shabti figurines littered the coffee table. Someone with large feet had left a pair of muddy trainers on the stairs. And someone else had somehow managed to magically convert the fireplace into an Antarctic wonderland, fit with snow and a live penguin. Magical mops and brooms sped about the house in a perpetual attempt to clean up – the Doctor had to duck out of the way to avoid getting dusted.

Philip of Macedonia was splashing happily in his pool, jumping for bagon strips that the children were tossing. The morning was cold and rainy, but no one seemed to notice as the terrace’s magical braziers kept them plenty warm.

Sadie offered the Doctor a cup of tea from the buffet table and sat down, before seemingly realizing that the others weren’t eating – they were staring at her. 

At the head of the table, Amos and Bast were both looking rather grim. Just across from Sadie and the Doctor, Carter hadn’t so much as touched his plate of waffles. To the right, one chair – presumably Jaz’s was empty. To the left, beside Sadie, sat Walt, whom Sadie looked to be doing her best to ignore.

The other children appeared to be in various states of shock. They were an assortment of all ages from all around the world – a handful looked to be old enough for uni, whilst most of the others looked to be between the ages of ten and fifteen.

The only one who didn’t seem affected by the grim mood was Khufu. He was currently face-first in a quivering red mountain of Jello.

“Morning,” Sadie muttered. “Lovely day. Penguin in the fireplace, if anyone’s interested.”

“‘Ello,” The Doctor gave a little awkward wave to the sea of children, “I’m the Doctor.”

“Sadie, Doctor,” Amos greeted, “Tell everyone what you told me.”

Sadie sipped some of her own tea in a desperate attempt to settle her nerves, whilst the Doctor described her dream in as much of a factual manner as he could manage.

When he finished, the only sounds were the fires crackling in the braziers. Even Philip of Macedonia had tuned in and minimized his splashing in the pool.

Finally, a young boy – who couldn’t have been older than nine – piped up, “So we’re all going to die, then?”

“No,” The Doctor gave the boy an absolutely shocked look, as if he couldn’t have imagined such a thing, “Why in the world would we do that?”

Amos sat forwards in his seat. “Children, I know I’ve just arrived. I’ve hardly met most of you, but I promise we’ll do everything we can to keep you safe. This house is layered with magic protection. You have a major goddess on your side” – he gestured to Bast, who was opening a can of Fancy Feast Tuna Supreme with her fingernails – “and the Kane family to protect you. Carter and Sadie are more powerful than you might realize, and I’ve battled Michel Desjardins.”

“I met Satan once.” The Doctor contributed helpfully.

“You – _what?”_ Sadie stared at him in disbelief.

The Doctor nodded, “Threw him into a black hole.”

_“What?”_

Amos sighed. “So we should be set should it come to that.”

“Should it come to that?” A girl asked, she looked particularly sturdy with an intense brow and strong hands, “I mean, it sounds pretty certain they’ll attack us.”

Amos knitted his brow. “Perhaps, but it troubles me that Desjardins would agree to such a foolish move. Apophis is the real enemy, and Desjardins knows it. He should realize he needs all the help he can get. Unless…” He didn’t finish the sentence. But whatever he was thinking, it appeared to trouble him greatly. “At any rate, if Desjardins decides to come after us, he will plan carefully. He knows this mansion will not fall easily. He can’t afford to be embarrassed by the Kane family again. He’ll study the problem, consider his options, and gather his forces. It would take several days for him to prepare – time he should be using to stop Apophis.”

Walt raised an index finger. He had a sort of gravity that managed to draw the attention of the entire group as he prepared to speak – even Khufu looked up from his Jello.

“If Desjardins _does_ attack us,” He said, “He’ll be well prepared, with magicians who are a lot more experienced than we are. Can he get through our defenses?”

Amos gazed at the sliding glass doors, likely remembering the last time the house’s defenses had been breached. The results had been less than ideal.

“We must make sure it doesn’t come to that,” he said. “Desjardins knows what we’re attempting, and that we only have five days – well, four days now. According to Sadie’s vision, Desjarins is aware of our plan and will try to prevent it out of some misguided belief that we are working for the forces of Chaos. But if we succeed, we’ll have bargaining power to make Desjardins back off.”

A small, bookish girl raised her hand tentatively. “Um…We don’t know the plan. Four days to do what?”

The Doctor looked expectantly at Carter, who sat up in his seat. “We’re going to wake the god Ra,” He said casually.

The trainees glanced at one another as if not sure if he was joking or not.

“You must mean the sun god,” the youngest boy spoke up again, “The old king of the gods.”

Carter nodded. “You all know the story. Thousands of years ago, Ra got senile and retreated into the heavens, leaving Osiris in charge.” Well, close enough. “Then Osiris got overthrown by Set. Then Horus defeated Set and became pharaoh. Then –”

Sadie coughed. “Short version, please.

Carter gave his sister a cross look. “The point is, Ra was the first and most powerful king of the gods. We believe Ra is still alive. He’s just asleep somewhere deep in the Duat. If we can wake him –”

“But if he retired because he was senile, “Walt said, “wouldn’t that mean he’s really, _really_ senile now?”

“Ra is the god of the sun,” Bast frowned into her uneaten Fancy Feast. “In olden times, he aged as the day aged, then sailed through the Duat on his boat each night and was reborn with the sunrise each morning.”

“But the sun isn’t reborn,” Sadie put in, “It’s just the rotation of the earth –”

The Doctor grinned, “Well, mythology and science aren’t necessarily exclusive to each other, but instead two different versions of the same reality –”

“Right, right, sorry.” Sadie waived Bast on, clearly not wanting to hear the Doctor’s lecture.

Bast pointed at the scroll that Sadie had set beside her teacup. “When Ra stopped making his nightly journey, the cycle was broken, and Ra faded into permanent twilight – at least, so we think. He meant to sleep forever. But if you could find him in the Duat – and that’s a big _if_ – it’s possible he might be brought back and reborn with the right magic. The Book of Ra describes how this might be done. Ra’s priests created the book in ancient times and kept it secret, dividing it into three parts, to be used only if the world was ending.”

“Like for example, if Apophis wanted to swallow the sun.” The Doctor said.

Walt frowned. “Is that even possible? In your story about the Red Pyramid, you said Apophis was behind Set’s plan to destroy North America. He was trying to cause so much chaos that he could break out of his prison.”

The Doctor nodded. “His prison is weakening. We certainly set him back, but we’ve far from stopped him.”

“In four days he’ll escape unless we do.” Carter said. “And then he’ll destroy civilization – everything humans have built since the dawn of Egypt.”

The certainty in Carter’s voice put a chill over the breakfast table. The Doctor saw him exchange a look with his sister that conveyed something of a _I’ll tell you later._

Bast was digging her claws into the dining table. Whatever Carter knew, she must’ve been in on.

At the far end of the table, the youngest boy counted on his fingers. “Why four days? What’s so special about… _um,_ March twenty-first?”

“Well, it is World Poetry Day,” The Doctor contributed, “Love a good poem, me. Oh! And the birthday of St. Nicholas of Flüe! Bit of a hermit, but a lovely bloke. Think he had a bit of a thing for me if I’m honest.”

He could hear the audible sound of Sadie’s hand hitting her forehead again.

“Not to mention, Saina Nehwal’s going to win the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold for badminton –”

“How in the world do you know that?” The first girl from before asked.

Before the Doctor could respond, Bast cut in: “The spring equinox is a powerful time for magic. The hours of day and night are exactly balanced, meaning the forces of Chaos and Ma’at can be easily tipped one way or the other.”

“Badminton?” Sadie whispered to the Doctor in disbelief.

The Time Lord simply shrugged, _“I_ think it’s interesting. I mean, admittedly it’s more fun when you’re playing with species with more arms, but you lot still manage pretty well – some of you can get the shuttlecock moving upwards of three hundred kilometers per hour –”

Carter snorted. “Shuttlecock?”

Bast glared at him.

Carter shrunk into his seat. “Sorry.”

“It’s the perfect time to awaken Ra,” Bast went on, “In fact, it’s our _only_ chance until the fall equinox, six months from now. But we can’t wait that long.”

“Because unfortunately,” Amos added, “the equinox is also the perfect time for Apophis to escape his prison and invade the mortal world. You can be sure he has minions working on that right now. According to our sources among the gods, Apophis will succeed, which is why we have to awaken Ra first.”

“Right,” Sadie said, shifting the attention of the room, “So _when_ Apophis breaks out, he’ll try to destroy Ma’at, the order of the universe. He’ll swallow the sun, plunge the earth into eternal darkness, and otherwise make us have a very bad day.”

“It’s what he’s wanted since the beginning of creation,” The Doctor nodded, “Since the sun – or for a long time, Ra – symbolised the first sign of the created world – of order, light, and life. Ra was the Lord of Order, and Apophis is the Lord of Chaos – they’ve always been at odds.”

“Which is why we need Ra.” Amos modulated his tone in an attempt to maintain a calm and reassuring sound for the trainees. “Since the beginning of time, these two forces have been in a perpetual battle to destroy one another. If Apophis returns, we have to make sure we have Ra on our side to counteract him. Then we stand a chance.”

“A chance,” Walt said. “Assuming we can find Ra and wake him, and the rest of the House of Life doesn’t destroy us first.”

Amos nodded. “But if we can awaken Ra, that would be a feat more difficult than any magician has ever accomplished. It would make Desjardins think twice. The Chief Lector…well, it would seem he’s not thinking clearly, but he’s no fool. He recognizes the danger of Apophis rising. We must convince him that we’re on the same side, that the path of the gods is the only way to defeat Apophis. I would rather do this than fight him.”

The bookish girl went green as a Slitheen. “The – the scroll,” She managed, “You said there are two other parts?”

Sadie picked up the scroll and began to unroll it. As she did so, Carter tensed and Amos said, “Sadie…”

She examined it, then frowned, spreading it out on the table. She looked expectantly at the Doctor, “So? What’s it say? If you can translate baboon, you can translate whatever this is, right?”

The Doctor examined it. It was complete nonsense. “If I had to guess, I’d say the pieces graft together,” He murmured, “It’s certainly not any recognizable language – not an Earth one, anyways. It could be a code of some sort, but I doubt it.”

Khufu looked up from his Jello. _“Three scrolls, three Ras. That is spell of Khnum.”_ Khufu grunted, placing three slimy grapes on the table that he’d extracted from his gelatin snack.

“Exactly,” Bast agreed, “As Khufu says, the three sections of the book represent the three aspects of Ra – morning, noon, and night. That scroll there is the spell of Khnum. You’ll need to find the other two now.”

“So the other two grapes,” Sadie said, “I mea, scrolls…according to my vision last night, they won’t be easy to find.”

Amos nodded. “The first section was lost eons ago. The middle section is in the possession of the House of Life. It has been moved many times, and is always kept under tight security. Judging from your vision, I’d say the scroll is now in the hands of Vladimir Menshikov.”

“The Ice cream man,” Sadie guessed, “Who is he?”

Amos traced something on the table. “The third-most powerful magician in the world. He’s also one of Desjardins’s strongest supporters. He runs the Eighteenth Nome, in Russia.”  
Bast hissed. “Vlad the Inhaler. He’s got an evil reputation.”

The Doctor recalled his ruined eyes and wheezing voice. “What happened to him?”

Bast was about to answer, when Amos cut her off.

“Just realize that he’s quite dangerous,” He warned, eyeing the Doctor specifically, “And unnegotiable. Vlad’s main talent is silencing rogue magicians.”

“You mean he’s an assassin?” Sadie asked. “Wonderful. And Desjardins just gave him permission to hunt Carter and me if we leave Brooklyn.”

“Which you’ll _have_ to do,” Bast said, “If you want to seek the other sections of the Book of Ra. You have only four days.”

“Yes,” Sadie muttered, “You may have mentioned that. You’ll be coming with us, won’t you?”  
Bast looked down at her Fancy Feast.

“Sadie…” She sounded miserable. “Carter and I were talking and…well, someone has to check on Apophis’s prison. We have to know what’s going on, how close it is to breaking and if there’s a way to stop it. That requires a firsthand look.”

“No,” The Doctor insisted, “You don’t have to go back there. I can go – I can –”

“You need to protect Sadie and Carter,” Bast said. “I’ll be careful. I am a creature of stealth, after all. Besides, I’m the only one who knows how to find his cell, and that part of the Duat would be lethal to a mortal. I – I must do this.”

Her voice trembled, but her expression remained firm and determined.

“I won’t leave you undefended,” She promised, looking towards Sadie. “I have a…a friend. He should arrive from the Duat by tomorrow. I’ve asked him to find you and protect you.”

“A friend?” Sadie asked.

Bast squirmed. “Well…sort of.”

Khufu belched and pushed away his empty plate. He bared his Jello-stained fangs in satisfaction.

“I’ll get packed,” Carter said. “We can leave in an hour.”

“No.” Sadie suddenly said.

Carter stared at his sister in shock.

“No?”

“It’s my birthday,” Sadie announced.

The trainees looked astonished. Several mumbled their good wishes. Khufu offered his empty Jello bowl as a gift. The youngest boy started halfheartedly singing _Happy Birthday_ , but no one joined him, so he gave up.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, and Sadie explained, “Bast said her friend won’t arrive until tomorrow. Amos said it would take Desjardins some time to prepare any sort of attack. Besides, I’ve been planning my trip to London for ages. I think I have time for _one_ bloody day off before the world ends.”

The room stared at her in shocked silence. Carter looked like he couldn’t decide between complete fury and total disbelief.

“Sadie,” Amos tried to keep his voice calm, “A visit to London is dangerous.” He held up his hand before she could protest. “However, if you must…I have one condition.”

“Yes?”

“Take one person with you. I don’t want you going all by yourself.”

Sadie sighed, rolling her eyes, “Fine.” She looked around the room. Her eyes landed on Carter, and she smiled regretfully at him as she passed on towards the Doctor, “Right, Doc, guess us Brits are going back to London, then.”

“You should be all right as long as you use no magic and do nothing to attract attention.” Amos said.

“Amos!” Carter protested, finally seeming to shake himself from his shock.

Amos cut him off with a stern look. While Sadie and the Doctor are gone, we can begin planning. Tomorrow morning, the three of you can begin your quest. I will take over your teaching duties with our trainees, and oversee the defense of Brooklyn House.”

It was clear in Amos’s eyes that he didn’t want Sadie to go. Perhaps it was foolish and dangerous, but there was also a sense of sympathy for his niece's predicament.

“Thank you, Amos,” Sadie managed.

He stood, clearly indicating that the meeting was over.

“I think that’s enough for one morning,” He said. “The main thing is for all of you to continue with your training, and don’t despair. We’ll need you in top shape to defend Brooklyn House. We _will_ prevail. With the gods on our side, Ma’at will overcome Chaos as it always has before.”  
The trainees still looked uneasy, but they stood and began to clear their dishes. Carter gave his sister one last angry look, then stormed inside.

One hour later, the Doctor and Sadie were ready to head back to London. Sadie’d decided to leave the magic scroll with Carter, who refused to so much as talk to her. The Doctor checked on Jaz in the infirmary and found her still in a coma. An enchanted washcloth kept her forehead cool, and healing hieroglyphs floated around her bed, though she still looked frail. Sadie came in soon after and sat next to her, holding her hand. She looked absolutely crushed.

Eventually, the two silently rose, Sadie giving her friend’s hand a last squeeze before climbing to the roof, where they kept a stone sphinx from the ruins of Heliopolis for opening portals.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows when he saw Carter on the other end of the roof, feeding a pile of roasted turkeys to the Griffin. Something told the Doctor that he’d been well aware he’d see them up there.

He glanced over and scowled, wiping the turkey grease from his hands and walking over.

Sadie furrowed her brow, looking as though she was preparing for a fight, but Carter seemed disinterested in that, instead grumbling, “Be careful. I got you a birthday gift, but I’ll wait until…you come back.”

He didn’t add the word _alive_ , but it seemed all too prevalent in his tone.

“Look, Carter –” Sadie tried, but Carter was having none of it.

“Just go,” he said. “It’s not going to help us to argue.”

Sadie’s eyes lingered on her brother, then she nodded in acceptance.

“I’m sorry,” She blurted out, “I know you blame me for picking up the scroll last night, and for Jaz’s getting hurt, but I feel as if I’m falling apart –”

“You’re not the only one,” He said.

The Doctor frowned, “Carter, what’s happened?”

The boy wiped his greasy hands on his trousers. “Yesterday at the museum…one of the spirits – one of them talked to me.”

“You said something’d happened,” The Doctor recalled, “And I felt a disturbance in time…What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Carter said reluctantly, his gaze lingering on the ground. “Time just like, slowed down. And this voice started talking to me.”

“What did it say?”

“It told me I wouldn’t succeed,” Carter said, “That chaos is too powerful and the world spins beyond my control. It told me to give up my quest.” Tears sparkled in his eyes. “It said I’d never find her – that she sleeps in the Place of Red Sand, but if I start my quest, she’ll die.”

“And you think she was talking about –”

“About, Zia, yeah.”

The Doctor mulled over this information. “Did you know who it was?”

“It said I’d met them before, but I don’t know…”

“But, Carter…” Sadie looked hesitant, “Are you _sure_ it was about Zia?”

“Positive!” Carter insisted.

“Not to be unkind,” Sadie said, “But the last few months you’ve been seeing messages about Zia _everywhere_. Two weeks ago, you thought she was sending you a distress call in your mashed potatoes.”

“It was a Z! Carved right in the potatoes!” He looked desperately at the Doctor, “And you said you felt something weird, some _time_ thing, right? I’m not making this up!”

Sadie held up her hands in surrender. “Fine. And your dream last night?”

His shoulders tensed. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on,” Sadie sighed. “At breakfast, you said Apophis would escape from his prison on the equinox. You sounded completely certain, as if you’d seen proof. You’d already talked to Bast and convinced her to check Apophis’s prison. Whatever you saw…it must’ve been bad.”

“I…I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

“I see.” Sadie said coldly. “You don’t want to tell me. Fine. We’ll continue this later, then. See you tonight.”

“You believe me, right?” Carter asked the Doctor, “About Zia, I mean.”

The Doctor hesitated. “I know that when you lose someone, you see signs of them everywhere you go – real or not. But I also _know_ that something happened that night.”

Carter scowled. “That’s not an answer.”

He remained there for a moment, but after realizing the Doctor wasn’t going to say anything more, he stormed off towards the griffin.

Sadie glared at him, then turned to the sphinx and began to summon the gateway – a funnel of swirling sand appeared out of thin air. The Doctor looked reluctantly back at Carter, before nodding to Sadie. The two of them stepped forth, and went flying into the vortex.

A heartsbeat later, the Doctor and Sadie tumbled out at Cleopatra’s Needle on the bank of the River Thames.

Brushing the sand from their clothes, they headed for the Underground station, and thirty minutes later they stood atop the steps of Sadie’s grandparents’ flat.

Sadie took a nervous breath before knocking on the door.

No answer.

“They are expecting you, aren’t they?” The Doctor asked.

“Yeah,” Sadie said, sounding somewhat confused, “I’m sure of it.” She knocked again.

Sadie had begun to fish out her key, when the Doctor simply flicked the Sonic and the lock clicked open.

“Thanks,” Sadie murmured as she pushed the door open.

The living room was dark and empty.

“Gran never allows for the stairwell light to be off,” Sadie whispered anxiously, “She’s always afraid of falling down the stairs. And Gramps never switches the telly off – he likes to keep the rugby matches on, even when he’s not watching.”

Something was very not right.

Sadie grabbed her phone and tried to turn it on, only to find it out of battery.

“I _know_ I charged it.” She whispered, bewildered.

Suddenly, the front door slammed shut.

Above them, at the top of the dark stairwell, a voice that was _definitely_ not human hissed, “Welcome home, Sadie Kane and company.”


	5. Bobby and Neckbutt

“Who are you?” The Doctor demanded through the dark.

The stairwell creaked. At the top, the hem of a black dress appeared, alongside a pair of sandaled feet that weren’t quite human. The toes themselves were gnarled and leathery, and the nails were so overgrown they resembled bird’s talons. As the woman descended into full view, the Doctor could hear Sadie let out a small whimper.

She was hunched over and emaciated, her face, earlobes, and neck sagging. Her nose was a drooping beak and her eyes gleamed in their cavernous sockets. She was almost bald – just a few greasy black tufts peeking out through her scalp.

Her dress, however, was midnight black, fluff, and massive. As she stepped towards the Doctor and Sadie, the material shifted, revealing the raven-like feathers it was made of. Her hands appeared from her sleeves – claw-like fingers beckoning the children forth. Her smile revealed a mouth of crooked and missing yellow teeth. And the smell. She smelt like she was dead.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she said. “Fortunately, I’m very patient.”

“Who are you?” The Doctor repeated.

“Where are my grandparents?” Sadie demanded, seemingly finding her voice.

The woman reached the foot of the stairs. From two meters away, her feathery dress appeared to be covered with bits of meat. 

“Don’t you recognize me, dear?” The image flickered. Her dress turned into a flowered housecoat. Her sandals became fuzzy green slippers. Her hair became gray and curly, with watery blue eyes and the expression of a startled rabbit. It was the face of Mrs. Faust.

“Sadie?” Her voice sounded weak and confused.

“Gran!” The Doctor grabbed the girl, preventing her from running to her grandmother.

“Let her go.” The Doctor demanded.

The image changed back into the black-feathered woman with a face that was grinning maliciously. “Your family is blood of the pharaohs,” She explained to Sadie, “Perfect hosts for gods. Don’t make me strain myself, though. Your grandmother’s heart isn’t what it used to be.”

“What do you want?” The Doctor continued to hold Sadie. She was trembling – whether with fury or fear, he wasn’t sure.

“Leave her alone!” Sadie was clearly meaning to shout, but her voice sounded more like a terrified squeak. “Get out of her!”

The woman cackled, “Oh, I can’t do that. You see, Sadie Kane, some of us doubt your strength.”

“Some of us?” The Doctor asked, “Who? The gods?”

Her face rippled, momentarily changing into a large bird’s head, bald and scaly pink with a long sharp beak. She then morphed back into the grinning woman.

“I don’t bother the strong, Sadie Kane.” The woman said. “In the old days, I even protected the pharaoh if he proved himself worthy. But the weak…Ah, once they fall under the shadow of my wings, I never let them go. I wait for them to die. I wait to feed. And I think, my dear, that you will be my next meal.”

The Doctor pushed Sadie behind him so that she was pressing against the wall.

“I do admire your determination, Nekhbet,” The Doctor said, “But this ‘weak’ girl over here, she’s under my protection.”

“Wait, Neckbutt, she’s the vulture goddess, right?” Sadie whispered.

“Nekhbet,” The goddess growled in correction.

The Doctor nodded. “She used to be the protector of Pharaohs and the patron goddess of childbirth.”

“But wait,” Sadie said, “You’re supposed to be a  _ good  _ goddess!”

Nekhbet spread her arms. They turned into wings – black, matted plumage, buzzing with flies and wreaking of death. “Vultures are  _ very  _ good, Sadie Kane. We remove the sickly and weak. We circle them until they die, then feed on their carcasses, cleaning the world of their stench. You, on the other hand, would bring back Ra, that wizened old carcass of a sun god. You would place a weak pharaoh on the throne of the gods. It goes against nature! Only the strong should live. The dead should be eaten.”

The Doctor could smell Nekhbet’s breath – it was stenching of roadkill.

“Right,” Sadie seemed to be getting her confidence back, “First, get  _ out  _ of my Gran. Then, if you’re a good vulture, I’ll buy you some breath mints.”

This appeared to be a sore subject for Nekhbet, as she lunged at the Doctor, towards Sadie. The Doctor grabbed the girl and launched them sideways. They scrambled over the couch, tipping it in the process. Nekhbet swept a lovely china collection off the sideboard.

“You will die, Sadie Kane!” She said. “I will pick clean your bones. Then the other gods will see you were not worthy!”

“You could at least have the decency to try to kill me first,” The Doctor said.

He waited for the next attack, but Nekhbet simply glared at them from the other side of the sofa.

_ “You  _ are not weak.”

“Why won’t she attack again?” Sadie murmured quietly.

The Time Lord considered this for a moment. “Vultures don’t usually kill…They wait for their prey to die. But that doesn’t make sense. If I’m not close to dying, why would she think I’d let you?”

Nekhbet’s wings suddenly filled the room. Her shadow fell over the Doctor and Sadie. It wrapped him in darkness. The familiar sense of hopelessness filled his body. How could he save Sadie if he couldn’t even save  _ her?  _ Couldn’t even save  _ them? _

“Nice try, but I’m not going to lie down and die” He could hear Sadie speaking to the goddess, yet somehow he couldn’t bring himself to refocus on his surroundings.

“Perhaps it will take some time, my dear, but as I told you, I’m patient. If you won’t succumb, your mortal friends will be here soon. What are their names – Liz and Emma?”

Suddenly, Sadie’s hand was clutching the Doctor’s. “Leave them out of this!”

“Ah, they’ll make lovely appetizers. And you haven’t even said hello to dear old Gramps yet.”

“Where is he?” Sadie was demanding.

“Oh, he’ll be along shortly. We vultures like to follow a nice big predator around, you know, and wait for it to do the killing.”

“No!” A man’s voice was suddenly shouting from upstairs as a muffled crash sounded. “No-o-o-o!” His voice then changed into the roar of a mad animal. “NOOOOOOAHHH!”

The Doctor’s surroundings suddenly sharpened. Someone was in trouble, and he wasn’t about to leave them. Even if he couldn’t save them – he had to try.

“Wh-what –” Sadie’s voice was barely a horrified whisper.

“Yes,” Nekhbet said. “Babi is waking.”

“Bobby?” Sadie asked, “You’ve got a god named Bobby?”

“Babi,” The Doctor said, “god of baboons –”

The ceiling plaster cracked under the weight of heavy footsteps. Something was tromping towards the stairwell.

“Babi will take care of you,” Nekhbet promised. “And there will be plenty left over for me.”

“Nope.” The Doctor clutched Sadie’s hand as he vaulted over the tipped-over sofa and bolted for the door.

Nekhbet didn’t bother to stop them. She shrieked behind them, “A hunt! Excellent!”

The Doctor and Sadie had just made it across the street when the front door of Sadie’s grandparent’s flat exploded. Glancing back, the Doctor could see something emerging from the ruins and dust – a massive hairy shape.

They raced around the corner and plowed straight into two girls around Sadie’s age. One had brilliant red hair and her pale face was speckled with freckles. She had on a simple pair of jeans and trainers with a white top and a blue denim jacket. The other girl was less conventionally dressed; she was an Indian girl with short, spiky hair with oversized, glittery glasses. She had on a black leather miniskirt, a fuzzy pink jumper, and platform shoes. Ah, Sadie’s friends.

“Sadie!” The first girl – Liz if he wasn’t mistaken – yelped, dropping a gift. “What’s wrong? And who’s he?”

“No time!” Sadie cried, “Come on!”

“Nice to see you too,” The other girl – Emma – grumbled. “Where are you rushing off –”

The creature behind them bellowed, sounding quite close now.

“Explain later,” Sadie promised, “Unless you’d like to be ripped apart by a baboon named Bobby, follow us!”

The four of them ran down South Colonnade, the roaring behind them almost drowned out by Sadie’s two friends’ complaining.

“Sadie!” Emmal said, “Is this one of your jokes? And  _ who  _ is he? Is he your boyfriend?”

“No!” the Doctor and Sadie both said immediately. 

“No, that’s  _ weird!”  _ Sadie said.

“And she’s a  _ child.”  _ The Doctor added.

“Hey!”

“In a purely numerical sense,” The Doctor rolled his eyes.

“Right, sure.” Emma said.

“And this isn’t a joke!” Sadie glanced at her friend, “Oh, for god’s sake, lose those shoes!”

Sadie’s friend looked appalled, “Have you any idea how much these cost?”

“Honestly, Sadie,” Liz put in. “Where are you dragging us to?”

Behind them, the creature roared again. 

Sadie turned to look back and faltered to a stop. The Doctor stopped as well, causing Sadie’s mates to run into them.

Behind them, the baboon was about the size of a grizzly bear. He didn’t have glittering silver fur, fangs like scimitars, nor a look of bloodlust in his eyes. Instead, the baboon ravaging the street looked as though he’d eat  _ anything _ and would have little difficulty ripping anyone limb from limb.

The only good news was that the activity on the street had momentarily distracted him. Cars swerved to void the creature. Pedestrians screamed and ran. The baboon began overturning taxis, smashing shop windows, and causing a general riot. As he got closer to them, the Doctor could see a bit of red cloth that hung from his left arm – the remnants of a cadigan – and stuck to his forehead were a pair of glasses. Indeed, it appeared that Babi had possessed Sadie’s gramps. Sadie also appeared to have had this realization, and was staring at the baboon in shock and horror.

The baboon ripped the door off a pub and sniffed inside. Panicked patrons smashed through a window and ran off down the street, still holding their pints. A policeman raced towards the commotion, saw the baboon, then turned and ran the other way, yelling into his radio for reinforcements.

“Sadie,” Liz said in a small voice, “What  _ is  _ that?”

“That’s Babi,” The Doctor hummed, “Egyptian god of baboons. He’s taken over Sadie’s grandad and would very much like to kill us.”

“Excuse me?” Emma balked, staring at Sadie as if hoping that she’d contradict the Doctor.

Babi roared, blinking and squinting as if he’d forgotten what he was doing. He sniffed the ground, then bellowed in frustration and smashed the window of a bakery.

For a moment, it appeared that they’d gotten a stroke of luck and could slip away. Then a dark shape glided overhead, spreading its black wings and crying, “Here! Here!”

“Briallint.” The Doctor grumbled sarcastically, “Bloody ancient deities. Now, if there aren’t any more questions – run!”

Sadie’s friends needed no encouragement. Emma kicked off her shoes, Liz tossed aside her gift, and they raced down another street.

They weaved through alleyways, hugging walls for cover whenever Nekhbet swooped overhead. They could hear Babi roaring along behind them, ruining people’s evenings and smashing up the neighborhood, but for now it seemed he’d lost their scent.

They passed a T in the road. Before them was a small old church with a tiny graveyard enclosed with a rusty fence. The Doctor grinned as he slowed down and came to a halt before the graveyard.

“What are you –” Sadie’s voice died out as she spotted who the Doctor had stopped for.

“Sadie,” Anubis was in his mortal form as a teenage boy with dark, windblown hair and warm brown eyes. He wore a black Dead Weather T-shirt and tight black jeans.

Sadie’s friends gaped in shock. Liz gasped out in single syllables, “Oh – ah – hi – who – what –?”

Emma lost control of her legs and stumbled into Sadie, nearling sending them both crashing to the ground.

Sadie shot them both a harsh look, then turned to Anubis.

“It’s about time someone friendly showed up,” She complained. “There’s a baboon and a vulture trying to kill us. Would you  _ please  _ sort them out?”

Anubis pursed his lips. He clearly wasn’t there to bring them good news. “Come into my territory,” He said, opening the graveyard gate. “We need to talk, and there isn’t much time.”

Emma stumbled into her friend again. “You,  _ um,  _ territory?”

Liz gulped. “Who – ah –?”

“Shhh,” Sadie hushed them.

The Doctor glanced down the street. He couldn’t see either Babi or Nekhbet, but he could still hear them – the baboon god roaring and the vulture goddess shrieking, “This way! This way!”

“Wait here,” Sadie told her friends.

“Don’t wander off,” The Doctor added, turning to Sadie, “You’ve got to add that. Trust me, the number of times I’ve had to go after someone who would’ve been  _ fine  _ if they’d just stayed put –”

Sadie rolled her eyes and stepped inside the gate, the Doctor right behind.

Immediately, the air turned colder. Mist rose from the soggy ground. The gravestones shimmered, and everything outside the fence went slightly out of focus.

Anubis led the Doctor and Sadie to a crumbling stone sarcophagus and bowed to it respectfully. “Beatrice, do you mind if we sit?”

Nothing happened.

“Thank you.” Anubis gestured for the Doctor and Sadie to sit. “She doesn’t mind.”

“Thank you, Beatrice.” The Doctor said before sitting down.

“What happens if she  _ does  _ mind?” Sadie sat down a bit more apprehensively.

“The Eighteenth Nome,” Anubis said.

“Excuse me?” Sadie asked.

“That’s where you must go. Vlad Menshikov has the second section of the Book of Ra in the top drawer of his desk, in his headquarters in St. Petersburg. It’s a trap, of course. He’s hoping to bait you. But if you want the scroll, you’ve got no choice. You should go tonight, before he has time to strengthen his defenses even further. And Sadie, Doctor,” He looked at them very seriously, “If the other gods found out I was telling you this, I would be in big trouble.”

Sadie almost looked amused, “You’re worried about getting in trouble? Anubis, not that I’m ungrateful, but I’ve got bigger problems at the moment. Two gods have possessed my grandparents. If you want to lend a hand –”

“Sadie, I can’t intervene,” Anubis turned up his palms in frustration. “I told you when we first met, this isn’t an actual physical body.”

“Shame.”

“What?”

“Nothing,” Sadie said a bit too quickly. 

“And Sadie, even if it was real,” The Doctor said, “‘Big trouble’ as far as immortal beings go, is a lot more serious than you would think.”

Sadie raised an eyebrow. “I assume you know from experience.”

“Regardless,” Anubis said, “I cannot help you. I can manifest in places of death, like this churchyard, but there is very little I can do outside my territory. Now, if you were already dead and wanted a nice funeral, I could help you, but –”

“Oh, thanks!”

Somewhere nearby, the baboon god roared. Glass shattered and bricks crumbled. The Doctor could hear Liz and Emma calling out, but the sounds were distorted and muffled.

“If I go on without my friends,” Sadie said, “will the gods leave them alone?”

Anubis shook his head. “Nekhbet preys on the weak. She knows that hurting your friends will weaken you. That’s why she targeted your grandparents. The only way to stop her is by facing her down. As for Babi, he represents the darkest qualities of you primates: murderous rage, uncontrolled strength –”

“We primates?” Sadie said. “Sorry, did you just call me a baboon?”

“Ape.” The Doctor corrected.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re an ape.”

Anubis’s mouth curved into a smile. “My point was that he will kill you just for the sake of killing.”

“And you can’t help me?”

He gave Sadie a mournful look. “I told you about St. Petersburg.”

“Well, then, god of pretty much nothing useful,” Sadie grumbled. “Anything else before we get ourselves killed?”

He held up his hand. A long, curvy, razor that was wickedly sharp along one edge made of black metal materialized in his grasp.

“Take this,” He said. “It will help.”

Sadie looked like she was about to hit him. “Have you seen the  _ size  _ of the baboon? Am I supposed to give him a shave?”

The Doctor took the razor and examined it, “This is a  _ netjeri  _ blade,” He murmured, “Made from meteoric iron. It’s used ceremoniously.”

“It’s for the one I once told you about – the opening of the mouth.”

“Yes, well, if I survive the night, I’ll be sure to take this razor and open someone’s mouth. Thanks ever so much.”

Liz screamed, “Sadie!”

Through the mist of the graveyard, the Doctor could see Babi a few blocks away, lumbering towards the church. He’d spotted them.

“Take the Underground,” Anubis suggested, “There’s a station half a block south. They won’t be able to track you very well below the earth. Running water is also good. Creatures of the Duat are weakened by crossing a river. If you must battle them, find a bridge over the Thames.” It was times like this when the Doctor seriously missed Percy. “Oh, and I told your driver to come get you.”

“Our driver?” Sadie asked.

“Yes. He wasn’t planning to meet you until tomorrow, but –”

The red Royal Mail box hurtled through the air and smashed into the building next door. Liz and Emma screamed at them to hurry.

“Go,” Anubis said. “I’m sorry I can’t do more. But happy birthday, Sadie.”

He leaned forwards and kissed Sadie on the lips, then melted into the mist and disappeared. The graveyard became normal again – part of the regular world.

Sadie stood there in shock. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes, “Come on!”

The four of them bolted for the tube station. The baboon roared and smashed through traffic behind them. Overhead, Nekhbet shrieked, “There they go! Kill them!”

“Who was that boy?” Emma demanded as they plunged into the station. “My god, he was hot.”

“A god,” Sadie muttered. “Yes.”

“In his defense,” The Doctor said, “He was significantly more helpful than most of the gods I’ve interacted with.”

Sadie glared at him, “I’m starting to think your standards are not an accurate way to gauge a situation.”

They descended into the London Underground, Babi and Nekhbet still hot on their trail.


	6. A Vulture, a Baboon, and a Dwarf Named Bessie

Sound echoed throughout the tunnels; the rush of trains, aspiring musicians and, of course, an ancient Egyptian baboon god roaring for blood as he pulverized the turnstiles behind them. Sirens wailed from the street above but, as always, the Doctor was well-aware of how little help the police would do. There wasn’t much choice of trains, but thank whichever god was in charge of the Tube, the Jubilee Line was running on time. They made it to the platform and jumped aboard the last carriage just as the doors were closing. 

Sadie, Liz, and Emma collapsed on the bench as the Doctor began pacing between the poles.

“Sadie Kane,” Emma gasped as the train lurched away, “Will you  _ please  _ tell us what’s going on?”

Of the two, Emma certainly looked more annoyed – her feet were cut and blistered from running barefoot, her pink jumper mangled, and her glasses appeared to have lost several rhinestones. Liz on the other hand looked horrified, her mouth moving as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t quite do so. Her face was so red that her freckles seemed to have disappeared. She’d taken off her denim jacket and her white top was blotted with sweat. When she finally found her voice, all she could manage was, “That boy kissed you!”

“We  _ will  _ explain later,” Sadie promised, “But –”

“Speaking of  _ ‘we’,”  _ Emma said, “Who is  _ he?” _

“Oh, right!” The Doctor paused his pacing and extended his hand out, “Pleasure to meet you, I’m the Doctor!”

Emma raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Right, the Doctor. And how old are you?”

The Doctor rolled his eyes and dropped dramatically into a seat. “This again? Seriously? Seventeen technically, nine hundred and six if you’re thinking linearly.”

“Hold on,” Sadie swiveled around to face the Doctor,  _ “Nine Hundred and six?” _

“Eh, give or take. I think I started over counting at some point because I lost track.”

“Oh,” Emma said, “So he’s balmy then, brilliant, that’s just what we need.”

“Look,” Sadie was looking rather exhausted, “I know I’m a horrible friend for dragging you both into this. But please, give me a moment. I need to concentrate.”

“Concentrate on what?” Emma demanded.

“Emma, hush!” Liz chided. “She said to let her concentrate.”

As Sadie silently concentrated, the Doctor began untying his trainers.

“What are you doing?” Emma demanded.

“Hush! She’s concentrating!” Liz scolded again.

The Time Lord removed his trainers and handed them over to Emma, “You need shoes.”

Emma looked as though she wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or to slap him, but she reluctantly accepted the footwear and began lacing them up. “But what about you?”

The Doctor scoffed, “Don’t worry about me – Alien feet.”

_ “Excuse me?” _

“Hush!” Liz repeated again.

The Doctor and Emma fell silent, looking over to where Sadie was sitting totally still. Finally, she reached out. Nothing happened. She furrowed her brow and extended her hand again and closed it. As she retracted her arm, out from the Duat came her magic bag.

Emma’s eyes widened. “That’s brilliant. How did you do that?”

Sadie hesitated, looking to the Doctor for advice. He raised his eyebrows as if to say,  _ You’ve not told them yet? _

She looked somewhat guilty as she stumbled for words, “It’s, um…magic.”

Sadie stared at her friends. She looked lost, terrified. Tears began to slip down her cheeks as the Doctor sat down beside her. “We’ll save them,” He promised, “We’ll find a way. We always have.”

She nodded silently, trying to choke back the tears.

Liz and Emma looked as though they didn’t know how to respond.

“Sadie,” Liz finally said, “Sadie, Tell us what’s the matter. Let us help.”

Sadie took a shaky breath and nodded, pushing the Doctor off of her. She let out a laugh, choking on her tears slightly, “This will sound absolutely mad.”

She gave them a  _ very  _ shortened version of events – the Doctor helped somewhat, popping in to add an explanation or to compliment Sadie’s abilities, or just to tack on a short story just to make Sadie laugh.

As they finished, Liz and Emma exchanged a look.

“I know it seems impossible,” Sadie said, “But –”

“Sadie, we believe you,” Emma said.

Sadie blinked. “You do?”

“‘Course we do.” Liz’s face was flushed. “I’ve never heard you talk so seriously about anything. You – you’ve changed.”

“It’s just I’m a magician now,” Sadie said, “And…and I can’t believe how  _ stupid  _ that sounds.”

“It’s more than that.” Emma studied her friend’s face in a mixture of sadness and fear, “You seem older. More mature.”

Ah yes, the Doctor nodded mournfully, the inevitable loss of innocence. Sadie wasn’t meant to lose it so soon. She was just a child. He should have protected her – shielded her from the horror’s she should never have experienced. But it was too late. He was too late.

“Your boyfriend is amazing.” Liz finally said, clearly trying to cheer Sadie up.

“He’s not my…” Sadie stopped. The train had begun to slow and the sign for Waterloo Station became visible.

“Oh, god,” She said, “I meant to get off at London Bridge. We need a bridge.”

“Can’t we backtrack?” Liz asked.

A roar from the tunnel behind them answered that question. Glancing back, the Doctor could see a large shape with glittering silver fur loping along the tracks. His foot touched the third rail, and sparks flew; but the baboon god lumbered on, unfazed. As the train braked, Babi started to gain on the Doctor, Sadie, Emma, and Liz. 

“Nope,” The Doctor said cheerily, “Off the Waterloo Bridge, then.”

“That’s half a mile from the station!” Liz protested. “What if it catches us?”

Sadie rummaged through her bag and pulled out her staff. Immediately it expanded to full length, the lion-carved tip blazing with golden light. She gave her friends a determined look and said, “Then I suppose we’ll have to fight.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. “The bridge isn’t that far. If we’re quick we can make it.”

The Doctor, Sadie, Liz, and Emma were sprinting through the main station, pushing their way towards the nearest exit, when the stairwell behind them exploded.

Crowds scattered as Babi climbed from the rubble. Businessmen screamed, dropping their briefcases and sprinting for their lives. The Doctor pulled the three children up against the side of the Paperchase kiosk to avoid getting trampled by a group of tourists cursing spectacularly in Italian.

Babi howled. His fur was covered with grime and soot from his run through the tunnels. Sadie’s grandfather’s cardigan was ripped to shreds on his arm, but his glasses somehow were still on his head.

He sniffed the air, probably trying to catch the childrens’ scent. It was then that a dark shadow passed overhead.

“Where are you going, Sadie Kane?” Nekhbet shrieked. She soared through the terminal, swooping down on the already panicked crowds. “Would you fight by running away? You are not worthy!”

An announcer’s calm voice echoed throughout the terminal. “The 8:02 train for Basingstoke will arrive on platform three.”

Babi let out a massive roar as he swatted a bronze statue and knocked his head clean off. A police officer ran forth, armed with a pistol. 

_ “No!”  _ The Doctor bolted out towards the officer, but not before the bullet fired.

He could hear Liz and Emma both scream as the bullet deflected off of Babi’s fur and shattered a nearby McDonald’s sign. The only upside was that when the officer fainted, the Doctor was close enough to catch him before his head hit the linoleum floor.

“Oh, always the hero, Doctor!” Nekhbet cooed as she sailed smoothly around the Doctor, “It might just be your downfall one day!”

She then flew up into the ceiling girders above the children and perched there amongst the pigeons, calling out to Babi, “Here she is, my dear! Here!”

“I wish she’d shut up,” Sadie muttered as the Doctor hurried back over to join them after moving the officer out of the way of harm. 

“Isis was foolish to choose you!” Nekhbet taunted, “I will feed on your entrails!”

Babi let out a large roar of agreement.

“The 8:14 train for Brighton is delayed,” the announcer reported, “We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Babi had seen the children now. His eyes smoldered with a primal rage. The Doctor pushed the children behind him. Cogs turned within his mind as he tried to calculate a plan. Babi was lumbering towards them, but he didn’t seem in all that much of a hurry to kill them. He called out, a sort of summoning.

“Doctor,” Sadie suddenly said confidently, “Hold my staff.”

“What?” Sadie shoved the staff into the Time Lord’s hands, “Liz, Emma, watch the baboon.”

“Watching the baboon,” Liz said, “Rather hard to miss the baboon.”

Babi jumped onto the roof of the Body Shop. He roared a sort of call to action and smaller baboons began to appear from every direction – climbing over the heads of fleeing commuters, swinging down from the girders, popping out of the stairwells and shops. There were dozens of them, all wearing black and silver basketball jerseys.

Sadie was rummaging through her magic bag, “I just need to buy us some time…”

“Easy,” The Doctor said as he watched the newcomers approach, “I’ll just –”

“He won’t follow you,” Sadie said, “It has to be me.”

“Like I’m going to let you –”

“You won’t  _ let  _ me do anything. It’s not your choice. This is my world we’re messing with, not yours.”

The Doctor looked somewhat affronted, and he didn’t express the hurt in his hearts. He may not have been born here but he’d put a hell of a lot of work into it.

Finally, Sadie pulled out what she needed from her magic bag. It was a corked glass vial containing some murky sludge. She shook it and the liquid glowed with a sickly green light. Bits of gunk swirled around inside it. She uncorked it, releasing a truly foul smell.

“What  _ is  _ that?” Liz asked.

“Disgusting,” Sadie replied. “Animation scroll blended with oil, water, and a few secret ingredients. Came out a bit chunky, I’m afraid.”

“Animation?” Emma asked. “You’re going to summon cartoons?”

“That would be brilliant,” Sadie admitted. “But this is more dangerous. If I do it right, I can ingest a great deal of magic without burning myself up.”

“Sadie –”

“No, Doctor, you’ve got to trust me.” She insisted, her eyes meeting the Doctor. They were so afraid, but determination sparked within them. “Please.”

The Doctor hesitated. “Fine.”

“Good.” Sadie recomposed herself. She handed each of her friends an amulet of Isis from her bag. “Hold on to these. When I say  _ Go,  _ run for the taxi stands. Don’t stop.”

“Sadie,” Emma protested, “What on earth –”

She gagged down the potion.

Above them, Nekhbet cackled. “Give up! You cannot oppose us!” The shadow of her wings seemed to spread over the entire concourse, making the last of the commuters flee in panic and engulf their surroundings with fear and darkness. The Doctor could feel himself succumbing to the overpowering desire to accept a quick death. His efforts were fruitless. In the end, all of those around him would be gone. They always were. Either they’d leave him or they’d die because of him. Perhaps they’d be happier if he’d not interfered at all. He was going to die one way or another. Why not accept it? Why not allow for the sorrow in his hearts to finally ceace?

Suddenly, Sadie began to glow – power bursting from her fingertips. She held her position for a moment, before releasing her hands forwards, releasing a golden hieroglyph to burn before her:  _ N’dah. Protect. _

A wave of golden light rippled through the concourse. The troop of baboons hesitated. Babi stumbled on the Body Shop roof. Even Nekhbet squawked and faltered on the ceiling girders.

Then all around the station, inanimate objects began to move. Rucksacks and briefcases suddenly flew into the air. Magazine racks, gum, sweets, and assorted cold drinks exploded out of the shops and attacked the baboons. The decapitated bronze statue head shot out and slammed into Babi’s chest, knocking him backwards through the roof of the Body Shop. A tornado of pink  _ Financial Times  _ newspapers swirled towards the ceiling. They engulfed Nekhbet, who stumbled blindly and fell shrieking from her perch in a flurry of pink and black.

“Run!” Sadie shouted.

The Doctor hadn’t registered that he still was standing, frozen, behind Sadie until she hooked her arm around his and physically pulled him out of his head. He, Sadie, Liz, and Emma ran for the exit, weaving around baboons who were much too busy to stop them. One was being pummeled by a half-dozen bottles of sparkling water. Another was fending off a briefcase and several kamikaze BlackBerrys.

Babi tried to rise, but a maelstrom of Body Shop products surged around him – lotions, loofah sponges, and shampoos all battering him, squirting in his eyes, and attempting to give him an extreme makeover. He bellowed in irritation, slipped, and fell back into the ruined shop.

The Doctor, Sadie, Liz, and Emma made it out of the terminal. With the entire station evacuated, the Doctor had no problem spotting the only chauffeur standing at the end of the drive. He was an extremely short, scruffy man in a black suit, holding a placard that read KANE.

“Brilliant!” The Doctor grinned.

“Well done, Sadie,” Emma agreed.

“I didn’t –” Sadie didn’t bother to finish. The four of them sprinted towards the small man. He must have been the driver Anubis had sent. As they got closer, his features became more clear. Beneath his thick furry monobrow, one eye was larger than the other. His beard was dirty and greasy, and his skin was poxy with red welts. His hair looked as though it hadn’t been washed or combed in weeks.

Once he spotted the children, he scowled.

“About time!” His accent was American. He belched into his fist. “Bast’s friend? Sadie Kane?”

“Um…possibly.” Sadie said nervously, “Just by the way, we have two gods trying to kill us.”

The man smacked his lips, clearly unimpressed. “Guess you’ll want a bridge, then.”

He turned towards the curb and yelled, “BOO!”

A black Mercedes limousine appeared out of nowhere. The chauffeur glanced back at them, arching his brow. “Well? Get in!”

Sadie was beginning to look a bit wobbly and light-headed as they crammed into the backseat. It was littered with takeaway curry containers, old fish and chip paper, crisps bags, and various dirty socks. 

The chauffeur floored the gas and barreled out of the station. The police had cordoned it off, but the limo swerved around the barricades, past a cluster of BBC news vans and a mob of spectors, and no one paid it any attention.

The chauffeur started whistling a tune. His head barely reached the headrest, and up, stuck in the sun visor, was an identification card with his photo – sort of. It had been taken at point-blank rage, showing only an out-of-focus nose and mouth. The card read:  _ Your Driver is BES. _

The Doctor grinned, “You must be Bes, then!”

“Yes."

“Brilliant, I’m the Doctor.”

Bes gave a disinterested grunt.

“Who’s Bes?” Sadie whispered.

“Oh, he’s brilliant,” The Doctor grinned, “He’s the Egyptian patron of childbirth and the home, he’s deeply associated with humour, music, dancing –”

“And he’s right here,” Bes grumbled.

“So, Mr. Bes,” Sadie said, then frowned, “Lord Bes? Bes the Extremely Short?”

“Just Bes,” He grunted. “One  _ s.  _ And no, it’s NOT a girl’s name. Call me Bessie, and I’ll have to kill you. As for being short, I’m a dwarf god, so what do you expect? Oh, there’s bottled water for you back there if you’re thirsty.”

The Doctor glanced down. Rolling at their feet were two partially empty bottles of water. One had lipstick on the cap and the other looked as though it had been chewed on.

“Not thirsty.” Sadie decided.

Liz and Emma murmured agreement.

The Doctor could see police vehicles blocking Waterloo Bridge, but Bes swerved around them, jumped the pavement, and kept driving. The police didn’t so much as blink.

“Are we invisible?” Sadie asked.

“To most mortals.” Bes belched. “They’re pretty dense, aren’t they? Present company excepted, etc cetera.”

The Doctor hummed, “Tell me about it.”

“You’re really a god?” Liz asked.

“Huge,” Bes said. “I’m  _ huge  _ in the world of gods.”

“A huge god of dwarves,” Emma marveled. “You mean as in Snow White, or –”

“All dwarves.” Bes took both hands off the wheel and waved them expansively, which was slightly concerning seeing the speed they were at. “Egyptians were smart. They honoured people who were born unusual. Dwarves were considered extremely magical. So yeah, I’m the god of dwarves.”

Liz cleared her throat. “Isn’t there a more polite term we're supposed to use nowadays? Like…little person, or vertically challenged, or –”

“I’m not going to call myself the god of vertically challenged people,” Bes grumbled. “I’m a dwarf! Now, here we are, just in time.”

He spun the car to a stop in the middle of the bridge. Looking behind them, the Doctor could see a winged black shape circling over the riverbank. At the end of the bridge, Babi was taking care of the barricade in his own fashion. He was throwing police cars into the River Thames whilst the officers scattered and fired their weapons, though the bullets seemed to have no effect on the baboon god’s steely fur.

“Why are we stopping?” Emma asked.

Bes stood on his seat and stretched, “It’s a river,” He said obviously, “Good place to fight gods, if I do say so myself. All that force of nature flowing underneath our feet makes it hard to stay anchored in the mortal world.”

“Come on, out we go,” The Doctor opened the limo door and hopped out.

“We’re…getting out?” Liz whimpered.

Emma swallowed. “Are you sure –”

“We’ll be fine,” The Doctor promised, his voice gentling out the way it often did with younger children, “But you’ve just got to trust me, okay?”

They nodded hesitantly and made their way out of the limo.

Bes stifled a yawn. “Need my help?”

“Yes,” The Doctor said quickly, an eye on Babi who was lumbering towards them, Nekhbet circling over him and shrieking orders. “That would be brilliant.”

“Right,” He cracked his knuckles, glancing back to Sadie who was still in the back seat. “Get out.”

“What?” Sadie asked.

“I can’t change clothes with the door open, can I? I have to put on my ugly outfit.”

“Ugly outfit?”

“Come on,” The Doctor pulled Sadie out the back and shut the door. He could hear it lock behind them.

“So what do we do now?” Liz asked fearfully.

Sadie began rummaging through her bag and took out a piece of chalk and the four sons of Horus. “Liz, Emma, put these statues at the cardinal points – North, South, and so on. Doctor, you connect the statues,” She tossed him the chalk, “We only have a few seconds.”

The Doctor tossed her back her staff and got to work with the chalk. 

As he finished, he could see Sadie raising her staff, then bringing it down to the newly-drawn chalk. Golden light flared up just as the baboon god slammed into her protective force field like it was made of metal. He staggered backwards. Nekhbet swerved away at the last second and flew around the children, cawing in frustration.

Unfortunately, the circle’s light began to flicker, the Doctor could see Sadie was shaking and looking mildly disoriented. If Babi attacked again, he wasn’t sure Sadie could hold the circle.

She seemed to know this too, as she said, Whatever happens to me, stay inside the circle.”

“Sadie, there’s another way,” The Doctor insisted, “There’s  _ always  _ another way.”

“Sadie,” Emma said, “Whatever you’re planning, don’t.”

“You can’t leave us,” Liz pleaded. Then she shouted at Babi in a squeaky voice: “G-go away, you horrible foamy ape! My friend here doesn’t want to destroy you, but – but she will!”

Babi snarled, his fur  _ was  _ rather foamy thanks to the Body Shop attack. Nekhbet, on the other hand, hadn't fared so well. She perched atop a nearby lamppost, her feathery cloak splattered with bits of ham, cheese, and potato. Her hair was decorated with plastic forks, napkins, and bits of pink newsprint.

The vulture goddess snarled. “You surprised us at the station, Sadie Kane. I’ll admit that was well done. And bringing us to the bridge – a good try. But we are not so weak. You don’t have the strength to fight us any longer. If you cannot defeat us, you have no business raising Ra.”

“You don’t need to fight us,” The Doctor tried, “We can work together!”

_ “He proves his weakness!”  _ Babi barked.

“Indeed,” agreed Nakhbet. “The strong survive without help. The weak must be killed and eaten. Which are you, child? Be honest?”

“Try me,” Sadie said. “I follow the path of Isis. Cross me, and I’ll destroy you.”

She was lying. The Doctor could see the way her body trembled and sweat poured down her brow. She was about to drop. The Doctor stepped beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder – a reminder that she wasn’t alone. Also so he could catch her if she collapsed.

But Nekhbet was a vulture. She specializes in knowing when her prey was just about to be finished.

“A good last effort, child,” She said, almost with appreciation, “but you have nothing left. Babi, attack!”

The baboon god reared up on his back legs. The Doctor prepared to get Sadie, Liz, and Emma out of the way so he could distract the baboon, when suddenly the limo’s door opened behind him.

“No one is attacking anyone!” Bes announced. “Except me, of course.”

Nekhbet shrieked in alarm. Liz made a gagging sound. “Lord, no! That’s  _ wrong!”  _

_ “Agh!”  _ Emma shouted, “Make him stop!”

Bes climbed onto the roof of the limo and stood there, legs planted, arms akimbo, in nothing but his pants – a dark blue Speedo.

Sadie stared at her in shock, only managing to say, “Put on some clothes!”

Bes laughed smugly, “Not until they leave,” He said. “Or I’ll be forced to scare them back to the Duat.”

“This is not your affair, dwarf god!” Nekhbet snarled, averting her eyes from the potbellied, hairy dwarf. “Go away!”

“These children are under my protection,” Bes insisted.

“I don’t know you,” Sadie argued back, “I’ve never met you before today.”

“Sadie, he’s helping us,” The Doctor said.

“We didn’t ask for the Speedo Patrol!”

Bes leapt off the limo and landed in front of the chalk circle, placing himself between Babi and the children, revealing the words,  _ Dwarf Pride,  _ printed on the back of his Speedo.

Bes and Babi circled each other slowly. The baboon god swiped at Bes, but the dwarf was agile. He scrambled up Babi’s chest and head-butted him in the nose. Babi staggered backwards as the dwarf continued pounding away, using his face as a deadly weapon.

“Don’t hurt him!” Sadie yelled, “It’s my Gramps in there!”

Babi slumped against the railing, his knees buckling. His body shimmered and began to shrink. He crumpled on the pavement and melted into a stocky gray-haired pensioner in a tattered cardigan.

“Gramps!” Sadie shouted, bolting out of the protective circle to his side, the Doctor right behind her.

“He’ll be fine,” Bes promised. Then he turned towards the vulture goddess. “Now it’s your turn, Nekhbet.  _ Leave.” _

“I stole this body fair and square!” She wailed. “I like it in here!”

“You asked for it.” Bes rubbed his hands, took a deep breath, made a face, and yelled, “BOO!”

Well, to get a little more specific, his head swelled as his jaw unhinged until his mouth was four times too big, his eyes bulging the size of grapefruits. His hair stuck straight up, shook his face, waggled his slimy tongue, and roared,  _ “BOOOO!”  _ so loudly that the sound rolled across the Thames.

This blast blew the feathers off Nekhbet’s cloak and drained all the colour from her face. It ripped away the essence of the goddess like tissue paper in a monsoon. The only thing left was a dazed old woman in a flower-print dress, squatting on the lamppost.

“Oh, dear…” Mrs. Faust fainted.

Bes jumped up and caught her before she could topple into the river. The dwarf’s face went back to normal as he eased the woman onto the pavement beside her husband.

“Thank you,” Sadie said to him sincerely, “Now, will you please put on some clothes?”

He gave the girl a toothy grin. “You’re all right, Sadie Kane. I see why Bast likes you.”

“Sadie?” Mr. Faust groaned, his eyelids fluttering open.

“I’m here, Gramps,” Sadie said softly, stroking his forehead. “How do you feel?”

“Strange craving for mangoes.” He went cross-eyed. “And possibly insects. You…you saved us?”

“Not really,” Sadie admitted. “My friend here –”

“Certainly she saved you,” Bes said. “Brave girl you have here. Quite a magician.”

Sadie’s gramps focused on Bes and scowled. “Bloody Egyptian gods in their bloody revealing swimwear. This is why we don’t  _ do  _ magic.”

Sadie sighed in relief. Clearly his grumpiness was a sign that he was properly back to normal.

Mrs. Faust was still unconscious, but she seemed to be breathing steadily and the colour was coming back into her cheeks.

“We should go,” The Doctor said, glancing around, “All you bloody humans are about to storm the bridge.”

Saide looked over towards the barricades and spotted the assault team gathering – heavily armoured men with rifles, grenade launchers, and loads of other things that could easily kill them.

“Liz, Emma!” Sadie called, “Help with my grandparents.”

The two girls ran over and started to help Mr. Faust sit up, when Bes said, “They can’t come.”

“What?” Sadie demanded. “But you just said –”

“They’re mortals,” The Doctor said gently, agreeing with Bes. “It’s too dangerous for them. We need to go after the second scroll now and they’ll only get hurt if they come.”

“Your grandparents and friends are in less danger here,” Bes said. “The police will question them, but they won’t see old people and children as a threat.”

“We’re not children,” Emma grumbled.

“Vultures…” Mrs. Faust whispered in her sleep. “Meatpies…”

Mr. Faust coughed. “They’re right, Sadie.  _ Go.  _ I’ll be tiptop in a moment, though it’s a pity that baboon chap couldn’t leave me some of his power. Haven’t felt that strong in ages.”

The Doctor helped Sadie to her feet and she looked back at her friends.

“Sadie, it’s fine,” Emma promised, adjusting her broken glasses and trying for a smile. “We can handle the police. Won’t be the first time we’ve had to do some quick talking, eh?”

“We’ll take care of your gran and gramps,” Liz promised.

“Don’t need taking care of,” Mr. Faust complained. Then he broke down in a fit of coughing. “Just go, my dear. That baboon god was in my head. I can tell you – he means to destroy you. Finish your quest before he comes after you again. I couldn’t even stop him. I couldn’t…” He looked resentfully at his shaky old hands. “I never would’ve forgiven myself. Now, off with you!”

“I’m sorry,” Sadie told her friends. “I didn’t mean –”

“Sorry?” Emma demanded. “Sadie Kane, that was the most  _ brilliant  _ birthday party ever! Now go!”

As she and Liz both hugged Sadie, Mr. Faust addressed the Doctor for the first time since seeing him again.

“So far you don’t seem to be doing very well.”

“What?”

“Protecting her. You said you would.”

“I will.”

“You’d better,” He growled, “Because if she dies, it’s on your head.”

The Doctor nodded. “I know.”

There was no more time for talking, as Bes shepherded both the Doctor and Sadie into the limo.

They drove north towards the Victoria Embankment.

“What happened back there?” Sadie asked quietly.

“How do you mean?”

Sadie glanced at her feet. “At both my gran’s house and the station. When the shadow came, I mean, sure, I felt sort of an urge to give up, but you…Your eyes just sort of glazed over…”

The Doctor was silent for a long moment, before looking up at Sadie, looking oddly ashamed. “Just caught in some old memories is all, nothing to worry about.”

Sadie looked like she wanted to argue, when halfway through the barricades, the limo began to slow down.

“What’s wrong?” Sadie asked, “Can’t we go past invisibly?”

“It’s not the mortals I’m worried about.” Bes pointed.

All the police, reporters, and spectators around the barricades had fallen asleep. Several SWAT members in body armour were curled on the pavement, cuddling their assault rifles.

Standing in front of the barricades, blocking the car, were Carter and Walt. They were disheveled and breathing heavily as if they’d run all the way from Brooklyn. They both had wands at the ready. Carter stepped forwards, pointing his sword at the windshield.

“Let them go!” He yelled at Bes. “Or I’ll destroy you!”

Bes glanced back at the Doctor and Sadie. “Shall I frighten them?”

The Doctor grinned, “No, that’s all right, we’ll handle it.”

He opened the door and popped his head out, “Brilliant timing, you lot, hop in!”

Walt and Carter frowned.

“Where’s Sadie?”

“Right here!” Sadie’s head popped out beside the Doctors and she gave a wave.

Walt looked confused. “You’re not…You’re not in danger?”

“Not anymore,” Sadie said.

Carter reluctantly lowered his sword. “You mean the ugly guy –”

“Is a friend,” Sadie promised. “Bast’s friend. He’s also our driver.”

Carter looked equal parts confused, annoyed, and uneasy. “Driver to where?”

“Russia, of course,” The Doctor grinned,  _ “Allons-y!” _


	7. A Quick Visit to Russia

As it turned out, Carter and Walt hadn’t run from Brooklyn, but instead took the Gryffin that Carter had dubbed ‘Freak’ to the Brooklyn Museum where they could open a portal. They’d intended to bring Freak along with them, but the swirling sand gate freaked him out and they had to leave him behind. They’d seen on a nearby storefront telly footage of Waterloo Station and using Walt’s amulet for Shu, the air god, summoned a burst of wind and jumped to the bridge, using magic to put to sleep the riot squad. 

It was then Sadie’s turn to describe what had happened to them. By the end, Carter was grinning at the dwarf god in the front seat. “We owe you,” He said, “So you’re a friend of Bast’s?”

Bas’s ears turned red. “Yeah…sure. She asks me for a favour once in a while. I try to help out.”

There was clearly history there, but no one was quite willing to go into it at the moment.

“When Horus spoke to me,” Carter said, “He warned that some of the gods might try to stop us from waking Ra. Now I guess we know who.” 

Sadie exhaled. “If they didn’t like our plan, an angry text message would’ve done. Nekhbet and Babi almost tore me apart!”

“You were brilliant,” The Doctor promised.

Sadie’s eyes dropped resentfully down to the black ceremonial blade in her lap, turning it in her fingers.

“That’s a  _ netjeri,”  _ Carter identified, “A  _ serpent  _ blade. Priests used it for –”

“The opening of the mouth ceremony, I know.” Sadie said. “But how does that help us?”

The Doctor frowned. “In Ancient Egypt it was used to ensure the senses of the deceased in the afterlife. It was thought that they couldn’t hear, see, or speak after death up until the ceremony was performed.”

“Still don’t see how that’s helpful to us.” Sadie said, “Bes, got any ideas?”

“Death rituals, I try to avoid them.” Bes said.

Carter’s gaze turned to Walt, but he didn’t seem to be paying much attention. In fact, ever since Sadie and the Doctor had told him about their talk with Anubis, he’d been awful quiet. He just sat beside Sadie, fidgeting with his rings.

“You okay?” Carter asked.

“Yeah…just thinking.” He glanced at Sadie. “About  _ netjeri  _ blades, I mean.”

Sadie tugged self-consciously at her hair and avoided his gaze.

“Bloody Anubis,” She muttered. “I could have died, for all he cared.”

They drove in silence for a while, before Carter finally addressed the important questions:

“What happened to your shoes?”

“Hmm?” The Doctor grinned, “Gave them to one of Sadie’s mates. Couldn’t just let her walk around without shoes, now could I?”

He frowned, “But…Now you don’t have shoes…”

“Very observant of you.”

“Don’t you…Need them?”

“Alien feet,” The Doctor repeated. “You know, there are some species that are born with shoes – they detach and everything, it’s bloody brilliant, it is. Though, I’m not quite sure what they do if they lose them…”

Carter sighed. “Why do I even ask?”

“Hey, where are we going anyways?” Sadie called out to Bes. “We need a portal. All the best artifacts are at the British Museum.”

“Yeah,” Bes said. “And the other magicians know that.”

“Other magicians?” Carter asked.

“Kid, the House of Life has branches all over the world. London is the Ninth Nome. With that stunt at Waterloo, Miss Sadie and the Doctor over there just sent up a big flare telling Desjardins’ followers,  _ ‘Here I am!’ _ You can bet they’re going to be hunting you now. They’ll be covering the museum in case you make a run for it. Fortunately, I know a different place we can open a portal.”

“Brilliant!”

They rode through South London. A woman scowled at them from a bus stop on Camberwell Road. Just down the street, a couple young men eyed the Mercedes greedily.

Finally, a big park opened up on the left: misty green fields, tree-lined paths, and a few ruined walls covered in vines. The land sloped upwards to a hilltop with a radio telescope.

The Doctor grinned as he pointed at the telescope, “I fell off one of those once!”

Sadie put her head in her hands. “How are you even still alive at this point?”

“Well, in my defense, it did kill me.”

Carter let out an exhausted sigh, watching out the window as Bes jumped the curb and drove straight over the grass, knocking down a sign that said keep to the path. The evening was gray and rainy, so there weren’t all that many people around. A few joggers on the nearby path didn’t so much as give them a glance.

Bes continued straight up the hill. Close to the top was a stone staircase, perhaps ten meters wide, built into the hillside. It appeared to lead nowhere. Bes slammed on the breaks and the limo swerved to a stop. On either side of the stairs, two sphinxes made of weathered stone lay, watching over the city of London, each about three and a half meters long.

Carter looked at them doubtfully, “Those aren’t real.”

Bes snorted. “Of course they’re real.”

“I mean they aren’t from Ancient Egypt. They’re not old enough.”

“Picky, picky,” Bes said. “These are the stairs to the Crystal Palace. Big glass and steel exhibit hall the size of a cathedral used to sit right here on this hill.”

“Wasn’t very impressive,” The Doctor hummed, “You know, on the planet of Kalhoon, there’s a palace made of crystal the size of a small moon. Did cause some problems, now that I think of it. People in glass houses must not throw stones – learned that the hard way.”

“Okay, you’ve  _ got  _ to tell me that story.” Sadie said.

“How about  _ after  _ we’ve saved the world?” Carter suggested. “So what’s with the Crystal Palace – the Earth one, I mean.”

“I read about it in school,” Sadie frowned. “Queen Victoria had a party there or something.”

“A party or something?” Bes grunted. “It was the Grand Exhibition in 1851. Showcase of British Imperial might, et cetera. They had good candied apples.”

“Ooh, I should go sometime.” The Doctor grinned.

“You weren’t invited.” Bes grumbled.

The Doctor grinned, waving his psychic paper. “I’m always invited. So I was there, then? Didn’t cause any trouble, did I?”

Bes’s glare was answer enough.

“The palace burned down in the 1930s, thanks to some stupid magicians – but that’s another story.” Bes said. “All that’s left now are a few relics, like these stairs and the sphinxes.”

“A stairway to nowhere,” Carter said.

“Oh, every stairway leads to somewhere,” The Doctor grinned, “We just don’t know where it goes yet.”

Bes sighed deeply. “Tonight it’ll take us to St. Petersburg.”

Walt sat forwards. “But if the sphinxes aren’t really Egyptian, how can they open a portal?”

Bes gave him a toothy grin. “Depends on what you mean by  _ really Egyptian,  _ kid. Every great empire is a wannabe Egypt. Having Egyptian stuff around makes them feel important. That’s why you’ve got ‘new’ Egyptian artifacts in Rome, Paris, London – you name it. That obelisk in Washington –”

“Don’t mention that one, please,” Sadie said.

“Anyway,” Bes continued, “These are still Egyptian sphinxes. They were built to play up the connection between the British Empire and the Egyptian Empire. So yeah, they can channel magic. Especially if  _ I’m  _ driving. And now…” He looked at Walt. “It’s probably time for you to get out.”

The Doctor frowned. “Why can’t he come with us?”

Walt was staring at his lap as if he’d been expecting this.

Bes’s expression turned serious. “Walt, you haven’t told them?”

“Told us what?” Sadie demanded.

Walt clutched his amulets, as if there may be one that would help him avoid this conversation. “It’s nothing. Really. It’s just…I should help out at Brooklyn House. And Jaz thought –”

He faltered, realizing that he probably shouldn’t have brought up her name.

“Yes?” Sadie’s tone was dangerously calm. “How’s Jaz doing?”

“She’s – she’s still in a coma,” Walt said. “Amos says she’ll probably make it, but that’s not what I –”

“Good,” Sadie said. “Glad she’ll get better. So you need to get back, then. That’s brilliant. Off you go. Anubis said we should hurry.”

Not the most subtle – Walt looked like Sadie’d just kicked him in the chest.

“It’s not that I want to go back,” Walt tried.

“But you can’t go with us,” Bes said firmly. There was a peak of concern in his voice, and something akin to pity. “Go on, kid. It’s fine.”

Walt fished something out of his pocket. “Sadie, about your birthday…you, um, probably don’t want any more presents. It’s not a magic knife, but I made this for you.”

He poured a golden necklace into her hand. The Doctor examined it over her shoulder, “An Amulet of Shen,” He identified.

“That’s the symbol that surrounds Ra’s sun crown, right?” Carter asked.

“It’s a never-ending loop – meant to be a symbol of eternity.” The Doctor nodded. “It would be placed on the dead to symbol their eternal life in the afterlife.”

Sadie swallowed, looking down-right charmed. “Eternity?”

Walt shot the Doctor a look that told him to  _ shut up. _

“Yeah,” he said, “Um, I just thought, you know, you’re looking for Ra. And good things, important things, should be eternal. So maybe that’ll bring you luck. I meant to give it to you this morning, but…I kind of lost my nerve.”

Sadie stared at the talisman glittering in her palm. “Walt, I don’t – I mean, thank you, but –”

“Just remember I didn’t want to leave,” He said. “If you need help, I’ll be there for you.” He glanced at Sadie and corrected himself: “I mean all of you, of course.”

“But now,” Bes said, sounding slightly impatient, “You need to go.”

“Happy birthday, Sadie,” Walt said. “And good luck.”

He got out of the car and trudged down the hill. They watched until he was just a tiny figure in the gloom. Then he vanished into the woods.

“Two farewell gifts,” Sadie muttered, “From two gorgeous guys. I hate my life.”

She latched the golden necklace around her throat and touched the symbol.

Bes gazed down at the trees where Walt had disappeared. “Poor kid. Born unusual, all right. It isn’t fair.”

“How do you mean?” The Doctor asked.

“Why were you so anxious for Walt to leave?” Sadie added.

The dwarf rubbed his scraggly beard. “Not my place to explain. Right now we’ve got work to do. The more time we give Menshikov to prepare his defenses, the harder this is going to get.”

Carter was clearly going to demand more details, but Bes stared at him stubbornly and it was abundantly clear there would be no more answers from him.

“So, Russia,” The Doctor hummed, “Up the staircase, then?”

Bes grinned and floored the accelerator.

The Mercedes churned grass and mud and barreled up the stairs. Just as the wheels left the ground, a portal of swirling sand opened before them and the black limousine flew headlong into the vortex.

The limo slammed into the pavement on the other side, scattering a group of surprised teenagers. Sadie groaned and pried her head off the headrest.

“Can’t we go anywhere  _ gently?”  _ She asked.

The Doctor bounced on the seat, grinning madly, “Oh, what fun would that be?”

Bes hit the wipers and scraped the sand off the windshield. Outside it was dark and snowy. Eighteenth-century stone buildings lined a frozen river lit with street lamps. Beyond the river glowed more buildings: golden church domes, white palaces, and ornate mansions painted green and blue. 

The group of teenagers they’d nearly hit were cursing in Russian and pounding on the hood of the Mercedes.

“They can see us?” Sadie asked.

“Russians,” Bes said with a sort of grudging admiration. “Very superstitious people. They tend to see magic for what it is. We’ll have to be careful here.”

“You’ve been here before?” Carter asked.

“I’ve been to Russia loads of times,” The Doctor said, “Been ages, though.

“Yeah, well, you’ve been everywhere.” Sadie grumbled.

“Not everywhere, big universe to see, you know.”

The Doctor examined his surroundings. They’d landed between two stone sphinxes standing on pedestals and covered in snow.

It seemed that Carter had seen them too, as he asked, “Are those authentic?”

“Farthest-north Egyptian artifacts in the world,” Bes said. “Pillaged for Thebes and brought up here to decorate Russia’s new imperial city, St. Petersburg. Like I said, every new empire wants a piece of Egypt.”

The children outside were still shouting obscenities and banging on the car hood. One smashed a bottle against the windshield.

“Um,” Sadie said, “Should we move?”

“Nah,” Bes said. “Russian kids always hang out by sphinxes. Been doing it for hundreds of years.”

“But it’s like midnight here,” Carter pointed out. “And it’s snowing.”

“Did I mention they’re Russian?” Bes said. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

He opened his door. Freezing wind swept into the Mercedes, but Bes stepped out in nothing but his Speedo. The children backed up quickly. Bes then shouted,  _ “BAF!”  _ and roared like a lion. The children screamed and bolted.

Bes’s form appeared to ripple. By the time he returned to the limo, he was wearing a warm winter jacket, a fur-lined hat, and fuzzy mittens.

“See?” He said. “Superstitious. They know enough to run from a god.”

“A small hairy god in a Speedo, yes.” Sadie said.

“So, where does this Vladimir Menshikov live, then?” The Doctor asked, looking around.

Bes pointed across the river at a glowing palace of white and gold stone. “That’s the Hermitage.”

“Hermits live there?”

“Nope,” The Doctor said, “It used to be the tsar’s palace, but now it’s a museum.”

“The best Egyptian collection in Russia.” Carter added.

“Dad took you there, I suppose?” Sadie asked Carter. She didn’t even bother to hide the jealousy that laced her voice.

“We never went,” Carter said, clearly trying not to sound too defensive. “He got an invitation to speak there once, but he declined.”

Bes chuckled. “Your dad was smart. Russian magicians don’t exactly welcome outsiders. They protect their territory fiercely.”

Sadie stared across the river. “You mean the headquarters of the Eighteenth Nome is  _ inside  _ the museum?”

“Somewhere,” Bes agreed, “But it’s hidden with magic, because I’ve never found the entrance. That part you’re looking at is the Winter Palace, the hold home of the tsar. There’s a whole complex of other mansions behind it. I’ve heard it would take eleven days just to see everything in all the Hermitage collections.”

“I could do it in two.” The Doctor decided.

Sadie rolled her eyes, “Of course you could.”

“But we can’t right now,” Carter said, “Because unless we wake Ra, the world’s going to end. We’ve only got four days.”

“Three days now,” Sadie corrected, “If it’s after midnight.”

Carter winced. “Thanks for the reminder.”

“Start with the Egyptian section,” Bes advised. “Ground floor, main museum.”

“Aren’t you coming with us?” Carter asked.

The Doctor frowned. “I don’t think he can. In the same way that Bast couldn’t enter Desjardins’ house in Paris. It’s been charmed against gods.”

Bes made a foul face. “I’ll walk you down to the bridge, but I can’t go any farther. If I cross the River Neva too close to the Hermitage, I’ll set off all kinds of alarms. You’ll have to sneak inside somehow –”

“Breaking into a museum at night,” Sadie muttered. “We’ve had such good luck with that.”

“– and find the entrance to the Eighteenth Nome. And don’t get captured alive.”

“Better than captured dead.” The Doctor pointed out.

Bes’s face was grim and it was clear that he disagreed. “Just trust me. You don’t want to be Menshikov’s prisoner.”

He then snapped his fingers and suddenly the Doctor, Sadie, and Carter were wearing fleece parkas, ski trousers, and winter boots.

“Oi!” The Doctor cried, “My trenchcoat!”

Bes rolled his eyes, snapped his fingers, and the Doctor’s parka was replaced with his long brown trenchcoat.

The Doctor grinned, “Brilliant, thank you!”

“Come on,  _ malishi,”  _ Bes said, “I’ll walk you to the Dvortsovyy Bridge.”

The bridge was only a few hundred meters away, but Bes clearly wasn’t in any hurry to get there. He kept slowing down and giving a gilded tore. He informed the group that they were on Vasilevsky Island, across the Neva River from the center of St. Petersburg. He pointed out the different church spires and monuments, and when he got excited, he began slipping into Russian. Which was no problem for the Doctor, but Carter and Sadie were looking confused.

“You’ve spent a long time here,” The Doctor observed.

Bes walked in silence for a few paces. “Most of that was long ago. It wasn’t –”

He stopped so abruptly, that Sadie walked into him and nearly fell over. The god was staring across the street at the large palace with yellow walls and a green gabled roof.

“Prince Menshikov’s palace,” Bes muttered, his voice thick with loathing.

“You mean Menshikov as in Vlad the Inhaler?” Carter asked.

“He’s a descendant.” Bes curled his lip with distaste and said an insult not even the Doctor would repeat. “Back in the seventeen hundreds, Prince Menshikov threw a party for Peter the Great –”

“That’s the tsar who built St. Petersburg.” The Doctor informed the siblings.

Bes glared at him. “Peter loved dwarves. He was a lot like the Egyptians that way. He thought we were good luck, so he always kept some of us in his court. Anyway, Menshikov wanted to entertain the tsar, so he thought it would be funny to stage a dwarf wedding. He forced them…he forced  _ us  _ to dress up, pretend to get married, and dance around. All the big folk were laughing, jeering…”

His voice trailed off.

“I’m so sorry,” The Doctor murmured.

Bes scowled. “Russian magicians…they love capturing gods, using us. I can still hear that wedding music, and the tsar laughing…”

“How’d you get away?” Carter asked.

Bes glared at the boy. Clearly he’d asked a sensitive question.

“Enough of this,” The god turned up his collar. “We’re wasting time.”

He forged ahead, but the Doctor knew he wasn’t really leaving Menshikov’s palace behind.

Another hundred meters through the bitter wind, and they reached the bridge. On the other side, the Winter Palace shimmered.

“I’ll take the Mercedes the long way around,” Bes said. “Down to the next bridge, and circle south of the Hermitage. Less likely to alert the magicians that I’m here.”

“Right, where do we meet you when we’re finished?” The Doctor asked.

“I’ll meet you on the Nevsky Prospekt, the main street with all the shops, just south of the Hermitage. I’ll be at the Chocolate Museum.”

“The  _ what  _ now?” Sadie asked.

“Not really a museum,” The Doctor said, “More of a little shop.”

“They’ll be closed this time of night, but the owner always opens up for me,” Bes said. “They’ve got chocolate  _ everything  _ – chess sets, lions, Vladimir Lenin heads –”

“The communist guy?” Carter asked.

“Yes, Professor Brilliant,” Bes said. “The communist guy, in  _ chocolate.” _

“So let me get this straight,” Sadie said. “We break into a heavily guarded Russian national museum, find the magicians’ secret headquarters, find a dangerous scroll, and escape. Meanwhile, you will be eating chocolate.”

Bes nodded solumbly. “It’s a good plan. It might work. If something happens and I can’t meet you at the Chocolate Museum, our exit point is the Egyptian Bridge, to the south of the Fontanka River. Just turn on the –”

“Enough,” Sadie said. “You  _ will  _ meet us at the chocolate shop. And you  _ will  _ provide me with a takeaway bag. That is final. Now, go!”

Bes gave her a lopsided smile. “You’re okay, girl.”

He trudged back towards the Mercedes.

Carter stared across the half-frozen river to the Winter Palace. “Are we in as much trouble as I think?”

“More,” Sadie said. “Let’s go crash the tsar’s palace, shall we?”

The Doctor grinned madly. “Allons-y!”


End file.
